ii  I  <:  1 


Notes  and  Queries 


AMERICAN  WOOL  AND  COTTON  REPORTER 

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Woolen  and  Worsted 
Fabrics  Glossary 


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1 


FRIGHTED,  1914,  BY 
FRANK  P.  BENNETT  &  CO.,  Inc. 


THE  GETTY  , CENTER 
LIBRARY 


Woolen  and  Worsted  Glossary 


CONTAINING  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  THE  MANUFAC- 
TURE OF  EVERY  KNOWN  GRADE  AND 
VARIETY  OF  WOOLEN  AND 
WORSTED  FABRICS. 


Textile  Fibres 


students  of  the  woolen  and  worsted 
industries  who  desire  to  obtain  a 
fairly  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
subject  must  not  only  learn  the  va- 
rious processes  of  manufacture  by 
means  of  which  the  numerous  vari- 
eties and  grades  of  stock  are  trans- 
formed into  finished  fabrics,  but 
should  also  inform  themselves  as  to 
the  animals  from  which  the  wool  and 
hair  are  derived.  The  nature  and 
structure  of  the  various  fibres,  the 
countries  and  climates  inhabited  by 
different  types  of  sheep  and  other 
producers  of  the  fibres  used  in  cloth 
making  should  be  studied.  The  do- 
mesticated sheep,  whose  ancestors 
once  roamed  wild  over  the  mountains 
of  Southern  Europe,  is  the  principal 
and 

MOST  IMPORTANT 

source  of  supply,  and  the  various 
breeds  furnish  wools  from  the  finest 
Saxony  to  the  extremely  low-grade, 
coarse  and  hair-like  carpet  wools.  In 
its  wild  state  the  fieece  of  the  sheep 
was  thickly  interspersed  with  long, 
coarse,  hair-like  fibres,  but  care  and 
attention  to  breeding  has  practically 
eliminated  these,  and  in  well-bred 
flocks  they  have  disappeared  rapidly. 
Sheep  are  commonly  classified  as  long 


and  short  wooled  varieties,  a  peculiar 
feature  connected  with  the  classifica- 
tion being  the  fact  that  the  physical 
characteristics  of  these  divisions  show 
as  great  divergence  as  do  the  fleeces.' 
The  long-wooled  varieties  are  usually 
of  large  body,  while  the  short-wooled 
sheep  are  smaller,  and  lighter  in 
weight,  often  with  brown  or  black 
face  and  legs.  Some  of  the  best-known 
varieties  of  long-wooled  sheep  are  the 
Cotswolds,  Lincolns  and  -Leicesters. 
LINCOLNS  THE  HEAVIEST. 
Of  these  the  Lincolns  produce  the 
heaviest  fleece  and  the  longest  wool,  a 
not  unusual  weight  for  a  single  fleece 
being  18  to  20  pounds  with  a  staple  20 
inches  in  length.  The  Cotswold  usu- 
ally averages  about  ten  pounds  to  the 
fieece,  but  much  heavier  fleeces  arei 
not  at  all  uncommon.  The  Leicester 
is  somewhat  smaller  than  the  two 
previously  named  breeds,  with  a 
shorter  and  lighter  fleece.  The 
varieties  of  short-wooled  sheep 
best  known,  perhaps,  are  the  South- 
down, Hampshire  Downs  and  Shrop- 
shires  of  the  English  breeds,  the  Sax- 
ony of  Germany  and  the  various 
merino  types  scattered  over  the 
world.  The  Saxony  wool  is  the  flnest 
in  the  world.    The  fibre  is  covered 


6 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


with  innumerable  fine  scales  or  serra- 
tions, which  make  it  a  particularly 
good  felting  wool. 

Australian  wools  are  of  excellent 
quality,  the  finest  termed  Botany,  then 
Port  Philip,  Sidney  and  Adelaide. 
These  are  all  of  the  merino  type,  as 


many  years.  The  shrinkage  of  these 
wools  is  very  heavy,  in  some  instances 
being  as  high  as  75  per  cent  or  more. 
This  is  not  due  entirely  to  the  natu- 
ral grease  or  yolk  contained  in  the 
wool,  but  to  the  large  amount  of  dirt 
and  foreign  matter  which  clings  to 


Lincoln  Ewe. 


are  the  domestic  wools  of  the  United 
States.    The  principal  classes  of 

DOMESTIC  WOOLS 
are  the  fleece  wools,  or,  as  they  are 
sometimes  termed,  washed  fleeces, 
bright  wools,  territories,  Texas  and 
Californias.  Oftentimes  the  bright 
wools  are  included  with  the  fleeces, 
though  of  a  somewhat  different  char- 
acter. The  Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and 
Michigan  fleeces  approximate  very 
closely  the  Australian  wools  in  fine- 
ness and  felting  properties,  while  the 
bright  wools  are  slightly  coarser  and 
more  lustrous.  The  territory  wools  are 
about  the  same  grade  as  the  fleeces, 
the  name  being  derived  from  the  fact 
that  they  are  produced  in  the  states 
in  the  West  and  Northwest  which 
were  under  territorial  government  for 


the  fibre.  Texas  wools  are  fine  and 
felt  readily,  as  do  the  Californias.  A 
considerable  portion  of  the 

CROSSBRED  WOOLS 
are  grown  in  South  America,  though 
the  Montevideo  is  fine  and  resembles 
the  Australian  in  character.  Asiatic 
wools  are,  for  the  most  part,  very 
coarse,  and  are  used  to  a  great  ex- 
tent for  carpets.  Next  in  importance 
to  the  sheep  as  a  source  of  textile 
fibres  is  the  Angora  goat,  whose  fleece 
is  known  as  mohair. 

This  is  a  long,  white,  silky  fibre 
with  a  bright  metallic  luster.  An  ex- 
tremely soft  fibre  is  shorn  from  the 
cashmere  goat  and  is  invaluable  for 
the  production  of  certain  types  of 
soft,  fine  textiles.  This  animal  is  a 
native   of  a  section   of  India,  from 


WOOLEN  Ax\D  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


7 


which  it  receives  its  name.  The  al- 
paca is  of  the  llama  tribe,  and  is  in- 
digenous to  the  mountainous  regions 
of  southern  Peru.  The  fibre  resembles 
mohair,  and  is  especially  distinguish- 
ed for  its  luster,  softness  and  ex- 
treme length  of  staple. 

Another  important  fibre  is  camel's 
hair,  t\ie  greater  part  of  the  supply 
comtug  from  China  and  Russia,  the 
former  country  furnishing  a  much  su- 
perior grade.    This  stock  is  largely 


or  imbrications  of  irregular  sizes, 
overlapping  each  other,  and  tapering 
from  root  to  tip.  The  growth  is  in  a 
mass  of  fibres,  termed  locks,  while 
hair  grows,  each  fibre  separate,  with 
a  smooth,  flat  surface.  The  number 
and  fineness  of  the  serration  of  the 
wool  fibre  determine  largely  its  felting 
properties,  therefore,  it  will  be  read- 
ily understood  that  the  preservation  of 
these  imbrications  intact  during  the 
manufacturing  process  is  extremely 


American  Merino  Ram. 


used  for  combing,  the  noils  being  used 
for  the  manufacture  of  carded  yarns 
for  dress  goods  purposes.  In  recent 
years  there  has  been  a  considerable 
quantity  of  calves'  hair  used  in  mak- 
ing certain  types  of  fabrics. 

There  is  a  very  material  difference 
between  the 

PHYSICAL  STRUCTURE 

of  wool  and  hair,  and  herein  lies  the 
vast  difference  in  the  action  of  the 
fibres  during  the  process  of  manufac- 
ture. Wool  is  soft,  wavy  and  curly, 
flexible  and  elastic.  Under  the  mi- 
croscope it  appears  as  a  cylinder,  with 
a  surface  covered  with  minute  scales. 


important.  In  its  natural  condition 
these  scales  or  serrations  of  the  wool 
fibre  lie  very  close  to  the  body  or 
main  stem,  but  under  the  influence  of 
moisture  they  become  soft  and  pli- 
able and  extend  at  an  angle  which 
permits  the  serrations  of  other  fibres 
to  become  interlocked  with  them, 
forming  a  compact  mass.  An  idea  of 
the  extreme  fineness  of  the  fibre  may 
be  gained  from  the  fact  that  there  are 
from  2,700  to  2,800  serrations 
per  inch  in  Saxony  wool,  while  1,900 
fibres  will  lie  side  by  side  in  one 
inch.  In  general,  it  may  be  said  that 
the  best  wool  is  that  having  the  most 
serrations  per  inch,  and   tbat  such 


s 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


wools  possess  the  greatest  felting 
properties,  but  there  are  exceptions. 

Under  the  microscope  Cape  wools 
apparently  conform  to  all  the  require- 
ments of  a  fine  felting  wool,  as  does 
the  Buenos  Ayres,  but  the  fulling 
value  of  these  is  much  inferior  to  the 
Port  Philip,  which  has  a  very  similar 
mechanical  structure.  To  the  serra- 
tions and  the  fact  that  the  center  of 
the  fibre  is  hollow  is  due  the  fact  that 
wool  has  an  exceptional  capacity  for 
absorbing  and  retaining  coloring  mat- 
ter. A  very  important  and  useful 
class  of  fibres  are  the  so-called  wool 


sired  effects  in  woolen  goods.  Many 
very  desirable  fabrics  are  manufac- 
tured from  mohair  and  camel's  hair 
noil,  the  production  of  which  would 
be  impossible  without  their  use. 
Thread  waste  is  opened  and  teased 
apart  into  loose  fibres  by  means  of 
the  garnett  machine,  and  for  manufac- 
turing purposes  is  far  superior 
to  much  of  the  new  wool.  No  little  of 
the  present  agitation  relative  to  the 
use  of  these  wool  substitutes  is  the 
work  of  those  who  have  but  a 

SUPERFICIAL  KNOWLEDGE 
of  the  subject,  and  whose  diatribes 


Angora  Goat. 


substitutes.  Many  writers  in  the  pub- 
lic press  have  attempted  to  create 
the  impression  that  it  is  unnecessary 
and  harmful  to  use  these,  but  such 
is  not  the  case.  They  each  have  a 

FIT  AND  PROPER  PLACE 
in  textile  manufacture.  Among  the 
most  valuable  of  these  are  the  vari- 
ous by-products  resulting  from  the 
manufacture  of  worsted  yarns.  Of 
these,  noil  is  the  short  fibre  removed 
by  the  comb,  and  is  a  very  valuable 
stock  for  use  in  producing  carded 
woolens.  It  is  produced  in  a  variety 
of  grades,  and  is  usually  mixed  with 
other  stocks,  though  many  times  it  is 
used  alone  for  the  production  of  de- 


should  have  absolutely  no  weight. 
Probably  the  statement  of  the  case 
by  the  eminent  English  authority,  Mc- 
Laren, is  one  of  the  best  ever  writ- 
ten. During  the  course  of  a  lecture 
on  textiles  he  said:  "A  few  words 
must  here  be  said  on  remanufactured 
fibres,  known  to  the  world  under  the 
common  name  of  shoddy.  There  are 
few  more  unreasonable  and  foolish 
prejudices  than  that  against  shoddy, 
and  so  far  from  it  being  a  term  of  re- 
proach, it  should  really  be  one  of 
praise,  for  the  man  who  first  brought 
shoddy  into  use  has  conferred  an  in- 
calculable benefit  on  the  world,  and 
enabled  millions   of   persons  to  be 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


warmly  and  cheaply  clothed,  who  must 
otherwise  he  shivering  with  cold.  It 
would  be  as  unreasonable  to  despise 
paper  makers  because  they  use  up 
linen  rags,  or  dyers  who  use  up  col- 
ors made  from  coal  tar  as  to  despise 
manufacturers  who  use  up  waste 
woolen  rags  as  shoddy.    It  is  said 


No.  1,  Medium  Grade  Wool  Fibre.  No. 
2,  Camel's  Hair.  No.  3,  Kemp,  or 
Diseased  Fibre.  No.  4,  Merino.  No. 
5,  Mohair. 

that  125,000,000  pounds  of  shoddy, 
mungo,  etc.,  are  manufactured  into 
cloth  every  year  in  England  alone. 
If  this  immense  quantity  were  wasted, 
it  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  increase 
which  would  take  place  in  the  price 
of  wool  and  the 

CONSEQUENT  DEARNESS 
of  cloth,  but  the  result  would  be  that 
countless  persons  would  be  unable  to 
afford  proper  clothing."  The  stock 
known  under  the  name  of  shoddy  is 
manufactured  from  woolen  rags,  and 
is  simply  wool  that  has  been  used  for 
manufacturing  cloth,  then  reduced  to 
fibre  for  the  purpose  of  reman- 
ufacturing.  The  staple  is  not  so  long 
as  that  of  the  original  wool,  but  it  may 
be  used  to  good  advantage  in  the  pro- 
duction of  many  cloths.  There  are  a 
variety  of  fabrics  containing  shoddy, 
whose  wearing  value  would  not  be 
in  the  least  improved  were  the  shoddy 
replaced  by  the  finest  of  fleece  wool. 
Flocks  are  very  short  fibres,  removed 
from  the  cloth  by  gigging,  fulling  or 
shearing.  They  are  but  little  used  ex- 
cept in  the  making  of  very  low-grade 
goods. 

Card  waste,  as  the  name  indicates, 


is  made  during  the  carding  process, 
and  is  reworked  into  cheap  fabrics. 
Extract  is  a  form  of  shoddy  made  from 
rags  containing  cotton  from  which 
the  vegetable  fibres  have  been  ex- 
tracted or  removed  by  treatment 
with  chemicals,  usually  sulphuric 
acid.  This  process,  known  as  "car- 
bonizing," is  also  used  to  a  consider- 
able extent  for  freeing  wool  from  burs 
and  other  vegetable  impurities.  The 
method  in  common  use  is  to  provide  a 
lead-lined  tank  to  hold  the  carboniz- 
ing bath,  into  which  a  cage  contain- 
ing the  material  to  be  treated  is  low- 
ered and  completely  submerged  for 
sufficient  length  of  time  to  allow 
the  acid  to  thoroughly  penetrate  the 
mass. 

REGARDING  THE  BATH. 

The  bath  should  he  made  with  pure 
water,  and  acid  sufficient  to  register 
from  four  to  six  degrees  Twaddell. 
The  cage  is  removed  from  the  tank, 
the  material  extracted  in  an  extractor 
used  for  no  other  purpose,  with  a 
galvanized  basket,  and  provided  with 
a  suitable  well,  so  that  the  liquor  may 
be  returned  to  the  tank.  The  stock 
is  then  subjected  to  a  heat  of  about 
180  degrees  Fahrenheit,  which  re- 
duces the  vegetable  matter  to  car- 
bon. From  the  dryer  the  stock  is  tak- 
en to  the  carbonizing  duster,  where  it 
passes  between  crush  rolls,  reducing 
the  impurities  to  powder,  which  the 
action  of  the  fan  and  beater  of  the 
dusting  machine  effectually  removes. 
Unless  the  stock  is  to  be  immediately 
dyed,  it  must  have  an  alkali  bath  to 
neutralize  the  effect  of  the  acid  treat- 
ment. No  reference  has  been  made 
to  fur,  as  this  is  a  fibre  seldom  or 
never  used  in  textile  manufacturing 
except  in  the  making  of  felts.  Its 
physical  structure  is  somewhat  simi- 
lar to  wool,  having  some  imbrications 
and  good  felting  qualities,  but  is  not 
easily  spun. 

Mungjo  is  a  fibre  manufactured  from 
hard  felted  woolens,  such  as  broad- 
cloths, overcoatings,  etc.,  and  has 
very  little  length  with  practically  no 
felting  properties.  It  is,  next  to  flocks, 
the  lowest  type  of  wool  substitute 
which  it  is  practical  to  use  in  cloth 
making. 


10 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Wool  Sorting  and  Scouring 


The  first  operation  through  which 
wool  passes  in  the  course  of  manufac- 
ture is  the  sorting.  This  does  not 
mean  that  the  fleeces  are  separated 
according  to  quality,  but  that  the  in- 
dividual ones  are  spread  upon  a  suit- 
able bench  or  table  and  the  various 
grades  of  wool  contained  in  each  sep- 
arated from  each  other  and  placed  in 
receptacles  provided  for  that  purpose. 


becomes  so  stiff  that  unless  warmed 
the  fleeces  cannot  be  opened  out  flat 
on  the  bench  without  tearing  them 
apart.  The  fleece  of  a  sheep,  after  be- 
ing sheared  and  before  sorting,  re- 
sembles the  form  or  shape  of  the 
sheep.  Figure  1  gives  an  idea  of  the 
various  qualities  or  sorts  that 
can  be  taken  from  a  single  fleece. 
It  must  be  understood  that  wool  from 
every  variety  and  breed  of  sheep  dif- 


Flgure  1.    Variety  of  Wools  in  Position  in  Which  They  Grow. 


The  tools  required  are  few  and  sim- 
ple, aside  from  the  bench  with  its 
screen  top,  which  allows  loose  dirt, 
straw  or  other  foreign  matter  to  drop 
through,  a  pair  of  wool  sorter's  shears 
for  clipping  off  paint,  tar,  or  burrs,  be- 
ing the  only  implement  needed. 

During  the  colder  months  it  will  be 
necessary  to  provide  a  rack,  with 
steam  pipes  underneath,  on  which  the 
fleeces  may  be  piled  to  warm  before 
they  are  sorted.  This  is  necessitated 
by  the  fact  that  in  cold  weather  the 
yolk  or  natural  grease  in  the  wool 


fers  according  to  whether  the  fleece 
is  from  a  coarse  or  fine  breed,  whether 
it  is  a  cheviot  or  merino  sheep,  and 
that  each  fleece  contains  many  grades 
of  wool,  in  fact,  the  variation  in  a  sin- 
gle fleece  may  be  as  great  as  that  be- 
tween wool  from  two  distinct  vari- 
eties of  sheep.  Figure  1  is  numbered 
to  show  the  variety  of  wools  in  the 
position  in  which  they  grow  and  de- 
scribed by  McLarin  in  this  manner: 
*'No.  1  is  the  shoulder,  where  the 
wool  is  long  and  fine.  It  grows  the 
closest  and  is  most  even. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


11 


"No.  2  is  rather  stronger,  but  oth- 
erwise equally  good.  The  best  and 
soundest  wool  grows  on  these  parts. 

"No.  3,  on  the  neck,  is  shorter  than 
No.  1,  but  even  finer;  where  sheep 
are  likely  to  have  gray  wool  it  is  sure 
to  be  found  here,  and  also  on  No.  4, 
which,  with  No.  5,  grows  wool  of  in- 
ferior staple  and  faulty  character. 
No.  6,  which  covers  the  loin  and  back, 
is  coarser  and  shorter,  while  on 

"No.  7  the  wool  is  long,  strong  and 
hangs  in  long  staples.    On  crossbred 


proached;  it  is  known  as  *brokes.* 
"No.  11  is  also  short  and  fine,  while 
"No.  12,  the  front  of  the  throat,  is 

short  and  worn  with  rubbing.  Kemps 

or  dead  hairs  are  mostly  found  in  No. 

12  and  No.  8,  although  in  the  latter 

they  are  much  longer  and  stronger 

than  in  the  former. 

"No.  13  is  the  head,  on  which  the 

wool  is  very  short  indeed,  rough  and 

coarse  like  the  legs. 
"No.  14  is  still  worse  and  of  little 

value." 


Figure  2.    Sectional  View  of  "A  Cone  Duster"  or  "Willow." 


sheep  this  part  becomes  very  coarse, 
and  is  much  the  same  as 

"No.  8,  which  is  the  coarsest  part 
of  the  wool,  and  is  known  as  bruch, 
or  britch,  and  even  when  very  strong, 
as  'cowtail.'  When  like  this  it  al- 
most resembles  horse  hair,  although 
it  is  more  brittle  and  not  so  smooth 
and  bright. 

"No.  9  is  also  strong  and  much  the 
same  as  No.  7. 

"No.  10  is  short,  dirty  and  increases 
in  fineness  as  the  front  legs  are  ap- 


It  will  be  readily  seen  from  the  va- 
riety of  wool  to  be  found  in  a  fieece 
that  none  but 

SKILLED  WORKMEN 
can  sort  wools  with  accuracy.  With 
the  skill  acquired  by  long  practice,  the 
eye  and  hand  of  the  sorter  follow  the 
divisions  according  to  the  numher  of 
qualities  required.  At  times  it  may 
be  necessary  to  make  six  to  eight 
sorts,  while  at  other  times  two  sorts 
are  all  that  are  required,  with  the 
britch  thrown  to  one  side.  The  type 


12 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  goods  to  be  manufactured  will  de- 
termine to  a  great  extent  the  close- 
ness to  grade  required  of  the  sorter. 
In  a  few  instances  the  fleeces  are 
simply  skirted,  the  fabrics  requiring 
no  further  sorting  of  the  stock. 

WOOL  SCOURING. 

Wool  scouring,  as  carried  on  in  most 
modern  plants,  is  very  different  from 
the  primitive  methods  employed  by 
our  ancestors,  and  even  to-day  in 
some  remote  parts  of  the  world.  It 
was  the  custom  to  carry  the  wool  to 
the  side  of  a  brook,  and  there  re- 
move as  much  as  possible  of  the  dirt 
and  grease  by  manipulating  in  cold 
water,  aided  by  herbs  and  barks. 
Later,  methods  of  making  soap  were 
discovered  and  the  stock  was  more 
thoroughly  cleansed  by  the  use  of 
soap  and  water,  but  the  process  was 
still  extremely  slow  and  laborious. 
When  the  old  style  rinse  box,  so  fa- 
miliar to  many  of  the  older  genera- 
tion of  mill  men,  was  devised,  it  mark- 
ed a  long  step  in  advance  in  this 
process.  The  wool  was  thrown  into  a 
tub  or  vat  containing  the  scouring 
liquor,  poled  for  a  time  to  secure 
thorough  penetration  of  the  mass, 
then  forked  out  onto  a  rack  to  drain. 
Under  the  rack  a  suitable  shelf  was 
placed  to  provide  for  the  return  of 
the  scouring  liquor  to  the  tub.  After 
draining  for  a  time,  a  portion  of  the 
wool  was  thrown  into  the  rinse  box 
and  a  stream  of  water  turned  on 
which  more  or  less  thoroughly  washed 
the  impurities  of  various  kinds  from 
the  stock. 

When  clean,  the  wool  was  taken 
from  the  box,  allowed  to  drain  for  a 
time  and  then  spread  thinly  on  a 
rack  to  dry.  These  methods  have 
been  practically  superseded  in  all 
mills  of  any  size  by  the 

MECHANICAL  WOOL  WASHER, 
which  is  not  only  a  great  saver  of 
time  and  labor,  but  also  cleanses  the 
wool  thoroughly  and  leaves  it  in  much 
better  condition  for  subsequent  op- 
erations. In  the  majority  of  instances 
it  is  advisable  to  dust  the  wool  be- 
fore scruring,  removing  in  this  way  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  mechanically 
{Adhering  dirt  and  refuse,  making  a 


consideraJ)le  saving  in  the  quantity  of 
detergents  necessary  to  complete  the 
cleansing  of  the  fibre.  There  are  sev- 
eral types  of  dusters  in  use  for  this 
purpose,  one  of  the  most  commonly 
used  being  that  known  as  a  "cone 
duster"  or  "willow."  A  sectional  view 
of  a  duster  of  this  type  is  shown  in 
Figure  2. 

The  cylinder  is  cone  shaped  and 
consists  of  four  lags,  supported  by 
suitable  spiders  on  a  main  shaft,  and 
is  usually  about  48  inches  in  diam- 
eter at  the  large  end,  tapering  to  26 
inches  at  the  other.  The  lags  A  and 
A'  are 

FITTED  WITH  IRON  TEETH, 

projecting  3  to  4  inches  which  mesh 
with  stationary  teeth  set  in  the 
frame  of  the  machine.  The  lighter 
particles  of  straw,  chaff  and  dust  are 
withdrawn  by  the  exhaust  fan  B  and 
discharged  through  a  pipe  outside  the 
mill.  Below  the  cylinder  is  a  screen 
C  through  which  the  heavier  im- 
purities such  as  sand  and  dirt  fall. 
A  screen  is  also  placed  at  the  fan 
openings  to  prevent  the  wool  from 
being  drawn  through  with  the  light 
dirt. 

In  action  the  stock  is  placed  on  a 
slat  apron  which  delivers  it  to  a  pair 
of  cockspur  feed  rolls,  which  hold  it 
momentarily  while  it  is  opened  and 
beaten  by  the  turn  of  the  cylinder  re- 
volving at  the  rate  of  400  turns  per 
minute.  The  bottom  of  the  duster 
should  be  as  nearly  air-tight  as  pos- 
sible, so  that  there  may  be  no  up- 
ward draught  of  air,  caused  by  the 
suction  of  the  fan,  to  prevent  the  fall- 
ing of  the  dirt  and  refuse  through  the 
screen.  The  screen  is  usually  made 
in  at  least 

TWO  SECTIONS, 

so  that  it  may  readily  be  removed  for 
cleaning.  The  action  of  the  revolv- 
ing cylinder  carries  the  wool  toward 
the  large  end  where  there  is  an  open- 
ing through  which  it  is  discharged.  In 
arranging  a  plant  for  dusting,  scour- 
ing and  drying,  if  the  room  is  not 
long  enough  to  permit  of  the  machines 
being  placed  tandem,  it  is  possible  to 
so  arrange  them  that  handling  of  the 
stock  will  be  reduced  to  a  minimum. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


13 


In  order  to  accomplish  this  the  vari- 
ous machines  may  be  located  as  in 
Figure  3.  The  wool  is  fed  to  the 
duster  A  by  hand  and  discharged  onto 
an  apron  running  at  right  angles 
which  delivers  the  wool  to  the  feed 
apron  of  the  three-bowl  washer.  From 
the  delivery  end  of  the  third  bowl  it 
passes  to  an  inclined  apron  E,  which 
delivers  it  to  the  feed  apron  F  of  the 
dryer  G.  The  dry  stock  from  the  op- 
posite end  of  the  dryer  falls  to  an 
apron  H,  which  travels  toward  the 
blower  of  the  pneumatic  conveyor  I, 
which  transfers  the  dry  wool  direct 
to  the  bins  in  another  room.  An  in- 
stallation of  this  sort  will  give  a  max- 
imum production  with  a  minimum  of 
labor.  Tanks  for  boiling  the  soap 
should  be  arranged  where  they  would 
be  easy  of  access  and  not  occupy 
space  that  could  be  used  more  advan- 
tageously for  other  purposes. 

In  scouring  wools  the  detergents  to 
be  used  should  be  selected  not  alone 
with  a  view  to  removing  the  dirt  and 
grease  from  the  wool,  but  also  with 
the  object  of  leaving  the  fibre  in  the 
best  possible  condition  for  further 
manufacture.  For  scouring  wool 
there  is  nothing  better  than  a  pure, 
well-made  potash  soap,  the  so-called 

FIG  OR  CROWN  SOAP 

While  many  scourers  use  soda  soaps, 
their  use  is  not  advisable  on  fine 
wools,  as  the  action  of  a  harsh  alkali 
has  a  very  injurious  effect  on  the 
wool  fibre.  The  tendency  is  to  de- 
stroy the  fine  serrations  or  imbrica- 
tions of  the  fibre,  which  detracts  ma- 
terially from  its  working  qualities. 
The  use  of  soda  also  has  a  tendency 
to  give  the  wool  a  yellow  tinge,  if  it 
is  allowed  to  lie  for  some  time  before 
it  is  used.  Before  using  any  scour- 
ing materials  they  should  be  tested 
for  purity  and  strength,  not  alone  to 
be  sure  that  they  contain  no  impuri- 
ties that  have  no  value  as  detergents, 
but  also  to  make  sure  they  contain 
nothing  actually  harmful  to  the  wool 
fibre.    Some  of  the 

MOST  COMMON  ADULTERANTS 

are  china  clay,  salt  and  silicate  of 
soda  or  resin.  A  few  simple  tests 
should  be  familiar  to  everyone.  Ex- 
cess  of   moisture,   a   very  common 


method  of  loading  soap,  is  easily  de- 
tected by  carefully  weighing  a  sample 
of  soap  and  then  cutting  it  into  thin 
shavings,  drying  until  it  ceases  to  lose 
weight  and  weighing  again.  The  dif- 
ference in  weight  is  the  amount  of 
moisture  it  contains.  If  one  ounce  of 
the  soap  is  dissolved  in  water,  placed 
in  a  test  tube  and  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  dilute  sulphuric  acid  is  add- 
ed, the  soap  will  be  decomposed.  The 
grease  and  resin,  if  any,  will  float  on 
the  top,  and  the  earthy,  heavy  im- 
purities settle  .to  the  bottom.  By 
heating  a  portion  of  soap  in  strong 
alcohol,  the  soap  will  be  dissolved, 
leaving  the  insoluble  impurities  in 
their  original  form.  As  it  is  a  matter 
of  common  knowledge  that  caustic 
alkali  of  sufficient  strength  will  en- 
tirely 

DISSOLVE  THE  WOOL  FIBRE, 

it  should  hardly  be  necessary  to  em- 
phasize the  fact  that  its  presence  in 
soaps  for  wool  scouring  should  be 
carefully  guarded  against.  Its  pres- 
ence is  readily  determined  by  an  ex- 
tremely simple  test.  A  drop  of  phe- 
nolphthalein  placed  on  the  soap  will 
immediately  give  a  pink  color  if  it 
contains  free  caustic  alkali. 

In  addition  to  pure  detergents,  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  there  be  an 
adequate  supply  of  pure  soft  water. 
If  hard  water  is  used  for  scouring 
wools  it  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  ob- 
tain satisfactory  results.  The  most 
common  forms  of  impurities  are  the 
various  iron  and  lime  compounds. 
The  result  of  using  such  water  will 
be  to  decompose  the  soap,  and  the 
grease  in  it  will  unite  with  the  acid 
of  the  lime  salt  forming  a  lime  soap, 
which  is  insoluble  in  water.  This 
lime  soap,  in  the  form  of  a  sticky, 
pasty  mass,  will  be  deposited  on  the 
wool  in  the  scouring  liquor,  and  is  re- 
moved with  extreme  difficulty.  If  the 
wool  is  not  thoroughly  cleansed  from 
it  at  this  time,  succeeding  operations 
will  be  attended  with  considerable 
trouble.  This  will  be  particularly  no- 
ticeable in  the  dyeing  and  finishings 
departments. 

THE  IDEAL  METHOD 

of  wool  scouring  is  that  which  thor- 
oughly cleanses  the  fibre,  without  in 


14 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  least  detracting  from  its  color, 
strength,  luster  or  elasticity.  These 
results  are  impossible  of  attainment 
without  the  best  of  materials,  machin- 
ery and  care  in  operation.  The  form- 
ula for  the  scouring  liquor  will  vary 
with  the  class  and  condition  of  wool 
to  be  scoured,  and  cannot  be  laid 
down  as  an  ironclad  rule  to  be  used 
in  all  castjo. 

In  many  mills  it  is  customary  to 
make  the  soaps  used,  and  excellent 
results  may  be  obtained  by  so  doing. 
The  formula  here  given  will  make 
a  very  satisfactory  soap  for  wool 
scouring. 

Dissolve  400  pounds  of  caustic  pot- 
ash in  100  gallons  of  water.  Boil  un- 
til it  is  thoroughly  dissolved,  then 
add  water  to  make  up  400  gallons 
giving  a  solution  of  a  pound  of  potash 
to  a  gallon  of  water.  Let  the  solution 


will  injure  the  wool  fibre;  in  fact,  at 
a  temperature  of  230  degrees  Fahren- 
heit the  wool  will  be  decomposed 
With  these  facts  in  mind,  the  neces- 
sity for  skill  and  intelligence  in 
scouring  wool  will  be  readily  under- 
stood. The  strength  of  the  scouring 
liquor  to  be  employed  should  be  de- 
termined largely  by  the 

GRADE  OF  THE  WOOL, 

rather  than  by  its  apparent  grease 
content,  and  must  be  left  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  scourer.  In  drying,  the 
wool  should  not  be  subjected  to  the 
action  of  extreme  heat,  as  it  has  a 
tendency  to  detract  from  the  working 
qualities  of  the  stock  and  the  handle 
of  the  finished  fabrics.  When  time 
and  space  will  permit  of  so  doing, 
better  results  will  be  obtained  by  dry- 
ing the  wool  without  the  aid  of  arti- 


Figure  3.    Location  of  iVIacfiines. 


cool  to  about  65  degrees  Fahrenheit, 
when  it  should  test  about  14 
degrees  Twaddell.  Run  the  lye 
into  barrels  and  add  a  gallon 
of  red  oil  to  each  four  gallons 
of  the  solution,  stirring  occasionally 
until  the  ingredients  are  combined, 
forming  a  jellylike  soap.  To  prepare 
the  scouring  liquor,  place  in  a  suit- 
able tank  125  pounds  of  soap,  200 
pounds  of  pearl  ash,  and  boil  in  250 
gallons  of  water,  until  the  mixture  is 
completely  dissolved.  In  using  a  16- 
foot  bowl  machine  for  very  greasy 
wools  12  pails  of  this  mixture  should 
be  placed  in  the  first  bowl,  10  in  the 
second  and  clear  water  in  the  third. 
The  temperature  of  the  liquor  should 
never  be  over  125  degrees  Fahrenheit 
and  preferably  lower,  as  excessive  heat 


ficial  heat.  This  is  readily  accom- 
plished by  providing  a  suitable  screen, 
supported  by  racks  and  enclosed  be- 
low so  as  to  be  practically  air-tight. 
A  powerful  fan  is  connected  with  the 
space  underneath  the  screen  and 
forces  a  current  of  air  through  the 
stock.  Wool  dried  in  this  manner  is 
more  lofty,  and  retains  to  a  greater 
degree  its  life  and  elasticity. 

CARBONIZING. 

Should  the  wool  contain  an  exces- 
sive amount  of  burrs  and  other  vege- 
table matter  which  may  not  readily 
be  removed,  the  scoured  wool  may  be 
carbonized  and  the  impurities  re- 
moved in  this  way.  There  are  vari- 
ous methods  of  carbonizing,  one  of  the 
most  common  being  the  wet  or  acid 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


15 


system.  In  carbonizing  by  this  sys- 
tem a  lead-lined  tank  is  provided 
containing  a  bath,  usually  of  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  of  a  strength  of  four  to 
six  degrees.  In  this  the  wool  is  im- 
mersed by  means  of  a  wooden  cage 
into  which  it  is  packed,  not  too 
tightly,  as  every  portion  must  be  sub- 
jected to  treatment  by  the  acid.  Aft- 
er a  suitable  time  has  elapsed,  de- 
pending on  the  quantity  of  vegetable 


matter  in  the  wool,  the  cage  is  raised 
to  drain,  the  wool  extracted  and  sub- 
jected to  about  180  degrees  of  heat, 
which  renders  the  vegetable  matter 
capable  of  being  crushed  into  dust  and 
easily  removed  by  the  carbonizing 
duster.  Wools  which  have  been  sub- 
jected to  this  treatment  must  be  neu- 
tralized by  means  of  an  alkali  bath, 
unless  they  are  to  be  acid  dyed. 


Wool  Mixing  and  Carding 


To  insure  good  results  in  carding 
and  spinning  it  is  necessary  that  the 
preparation  of  the  stock  in  the  pre- 
vious processes  be  thoroughly  per- 
formed. In  a  former  article  we  have 
taken  up  the  sorting  and  scouring  of 
the  wool  and  at  this  time  will  follow 
the  course  of  the  stock  in  its  prog- 
ress through  the  regular  routine  of 
oiling,  picking,  carding  and  spinning, 
leaving  the  dyeing  to  be  treated  in 
an  article  particularly  devoted  to  that 
branch  of  the  industry. 

To  card  well,  the  stock  must  be  as 
free  from  vegetable  matter  as  pos- 
sible, and  unless  this  is  removed  by 
the  carbonizing  process,  the  stock 
should  be  run  through  the  bur  pick- 
er, which  will  remove  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  burs,  shive,  seeds,  etc.,  be- 
fore the  stock  is  oiled  and  mixed.  A 
common  type  of  bur  picker  is  shown 
in  the  illustration,  reference  to  which 
will  show  the  means  of  separating  the 
burs  from  the  fibre.  The  stock  is  fed 
to  the  feed  apron,  a,  by  the  ordinary 
type  of  self  feed,  and  conveyed  in  a 
continuous  flat  web  to  the  cockspur 
feed  rolls.  A,  which  hold  the  stoclj 
while  it  is  engaged  by  the  cylinder  B 
This  cylinder 

SERVES  A  DOUBLE  PURPOSE, 

that  of  opening  the  wool  and  also 
carrying  it  to  the  bur  cylinders  d  and 
e,  which  are  covered  with  toothed 
steel  rings  that  allow  the  wool  to 
be  drawn  into  the  spaces  between  the 


rings,  but  hold  the  burs  on  the  sur- 
face, where  they  are  engaged  by  the 
bur  guards  F,  G,  and  knocked  out  by 
the  rapidly  revolving  blades.  The 
wool  is  cleared  from  the  bur  cylinder 
by  the  brush  H,  and  carried  into  the 
gauze  room  by  the  current  of  air 
generated  by  the  brush-  Under  the 
cylinder  is  a  screen,  C,  permitting  the 
heavier  particles  of  dirt  and  refuse 
to  fall  into  the  enclosed  space  under 
the  machine,  while  the  lighter  par- 
ticles are  drawn  through  a  screen  at 
the  back  by  the  fan,  and  discharged 
outside  of  the  mill  through  a  suitable 
pipe.  The  burs  are  thrown  into  a  box, 
J,  on  top  of  the  feed  apron. 

It  may  be  thought  strange  that 
after  spending  so  much  time  and  trou- 
ble to  remove  the  natural  grease  from 
the  wool,  oil  should  be  put  on  the 
fibre  before  proceeding  with  its  man- 
ufacture into  yarn,  but  there  is  an 
extremely  simple  explanation  for  this 
operation.  In  the  article  on  textile 
fibres  it  was  stated  that  one  of  the 
most  important  features  of  the  wool 
fibre  is  the  scaly  form  of  the  outer 
surface,  and  it  was  also  stated  that 
on  these  scales  or  imbrications  de- 
pends, to  a  great  extent,  the 

VALUE  AND  FELTING 

properties  of  the  stock.  Should  the 
wool  be  carded  while  dry,  these  ser- 
rations will  be  injured  by  the  friction 
of  the  fibres  with  each  other,  and  by 
contact  with  the  card  clothing.  The 


16 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


fibres  will  be  broken,  causing  a  much 
larger  percentage  of  waste.  When 
lubricated  with  an  emulsion  of  oil  and 
water,  the  imbrications  are  filled  with 
the  lubricant  and  slide  by  one 
another  easily,  allowing  the  locks  of 
wool  to  be  straightened  out  and  dis- 
entangled without  injury  or  diffi- 
culty. It  is  impossible  to  restore  to 
its  original  condition  wool  that  has 
been  damaged  by  harsh  treatment  in 
the  scouring  or  drying  process,  but 
the  use  of  good  oil  in  liberal  quanti- 
ties will  assist  materially  in  the  card- 
ing and  spinning.    The  oil  is  usually 


tr  in  some  types  as  it  emerges.  The 
method  of  application  is  of  no  particu- 
lar importance,  the  essential  feature 
being  hat  it  shall  be  applied  even- 
ly to  all  parts  of  the  batch,  or 
uneven  work  in  subsequent  processes 
will  be  the  result.  Another  very 
important  item,  if  mixtures  either  of 
colors  or  stocks  are  to  be  made,  is 
to  see  that  the  batch  is  so  laid  down 
that  a  homogeneous  blend  will  re- 
sult. This  may  be  best  accomplished 
by  placing  alternate  layers  of  the  va- 
rious colors  in  proportion  to  the  quan- 
tity of  each  and  in  feeding  to  the 


Atlas  Bur  Picker — a,  Feed  Apron;  A,     Feed  Rolls;    B,    Main    Cylinder;  C, 
Screen;  d,  e,  Bur  Cylinders;  F,  G,  Bu  r  Guards;  H,  Brush;  J,  Bur  Box. 


applied  in  the  form  of  an  emulsion, 
obtained  by  mixing  oil  and  water  and 
saponified  by  an  addition  of  a  mild 
alkali.  The  kind  and  quantity  of  oil 
to  be  used  varies  with  the  stock,  a 
harsh,  crisp  wool  requiring  more  oil 
than  a  fine,  soft  stock.  The  usual 
quantity  of  oil  for  a  medium  grade  of 
stock  is  four  quarts  per  hundred 
pounds.  The  stock  to  be  oiled  is 
placed  in  thin  layers  on  the  floor  of 
the  picker  house,  and  the  emulsion 
applied  with  a  sprinkler  can.  This 
method  is  probably  the  most  com- 
monly used,  although  in  up-to-date 
plants,  it  is  not  unusual  to  find  a 

MECHANICAL  OILER 
which  applies  the  emulsion  just  as 
the  stock  enters  the  mixing  picker, 


mixing  picker,  using  care  to  take  the 
stock  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  pile. 
In  this  manner  each  armful  fed  to  the 
picker  will  contain  its  proportion  of 
every  color  used.  If  the  mixture  con- 
tains several  colors  or  stocks,  it  would 
be  well  to  give  it  at  least  three  runs 
through  the  picker.  We  illustrate  a 
modern  type  of  mixing  picker,  which 
will  give  the  reader  an  excellent  idea 
of  the  machine  and  its 

METHOD  OF  OPERATION. 
The  stock  is  fed  to  the  traveling  apron, 
which  conveys  it  to  the  feed  rolls. 
These  are  fitted  with  pin  or  cockspur 
teeth  which  hold  the  stock  momen- 
tarily, while  it  is  engaged  by  the 
teeth  of  the  main  cylinder  which  re- 
volves at  a  speed  of  from  700  to  1,000 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


17 


revolutions  per  minute.  The  stock  is 
discharged  through  an  opening  direct- 
ly opposite  the  feed  rolls  into  a  gauze 
room,  or  to  a  blower  which  conveys 
it  to  the  desired  receptacle. 

Oiling  and  mixing,  which,  of  them- 
selves, are  apparently  simple  opera- 
tions, requiring  no  special  care  or  at- 
tention, are,  in  reality,  a  very  impor- 


have  the  picker  discharge  direct  to 
a  blower  connected  to  a  pneumatic 
system,  which  deposits  the  stock  in  a 
suitable  bin  convenient  to  the  self 
feed  of  the  card.  If  this  is  not  per- 
mitted from  lack  of  space,  or  other 
good  reason,  the  batch  may  be  sheeted 
up  and  taken  to  the  card  room  as 
needed.    At  the  present  time  there 


tant  part  of  cloth  manufacture.  Un- 
less the  stock  is  well  handled  in  the 
picker  room,  no  amount  of  time  and 
labor  which  may  be  expended  later 
will  remedy  the  evils  resulting  from 
this  inattention.  It  is  a  common  say- 
ing among  woolen  superintendents 
that  stock  which  leaves  the  picker 
room  in  first-class  condition  is  well 
on  the  way  to  perfect  cloth,  while 
stock  poorly  treated  in  the  picker 
room  will  give  trouble  in  every  sub- 
sequent process. 

From  the  picker  house,  the  stock 
may  be  conveyed  to  the  card  room  by 
any  means  at  hand.  The  system  in- 
volving the  least  labor,  perhaps,  is  to 


are  few  mills,  if  any,  which  are  not 
fitted  with  self  feeds  in  the  card  room. 
This  is  not  only  a 

LABOR-SAVING  DEVICE, 

but  insures  much  evener  results  than 
it  was  possible  to  obtain  by  the  old 
method  of  feeding  by  hand.  The  illus- 
tration shows  a  modern  first 
breaker  card  with  self  feed  at- 
tached, as  commonly  used  in  woolen 
mills.  The  essential  features  of  the 
feeding  are  a  receptacle  for  the  stock, 
a  spike  apron  to.  convey  the  stock  to 
the  weighing  mechanism,  suitable 
means  to  dump  the  required  weight 
of  stock  on  the  feed  apron,  and  means 


IS 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


by  which  it  is  possible  to  prevent  a 
further  supply  to  the  scale  pan  when 
the  required  amount  has  been  re- 
ceived. The  operation  of  the  ma- 
chine is  not  difficult  to  comprehend, 
and  is  marvelously  accurate  in  its  re- 
sults. 

It  is  built  with  a  large  hopper  or 
feed  box,  in  the  back  of  which  is  a 
spiked  apron  for  conveying  the  stock 
from  the  hopper  to  the  scale  pan.  Near 
the  top  of  the  apron,  the  stock  comes 
in  contact  with  an  oscillating  comb, 
which  removes  the  surplus  wool, 
leaving  the  balance  distributed  even- 
ly over  the  apron.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  apron,  a  rapidly  moving. 


the  mixing  begun  in  the  picking  proc- 
ess, and  the  arrangement  of  the 
mass  of  wool  into  suitable  form  to  be 
spun  into  yarn.  In  olden  times  these 
operations  were  all  performed  by 
hand,  but  the  inventive  genius  of 
man  has  perfected  machinery  that 
now  enables  us  to  obtain  much  better 
results,  with  practically  no  handling 
of  the  stock  from  start  to  finish.  Mod- 
ern carding  involves  the  use  of  three 
machines,  with  the  necessary  acces- 
sories in  the  way  of  feeding  mechan- 
isms and  doffers.    The  two 

PRINCIPAL  FEATURES 

of  carding  are:     The  carding  itselt 


First  Breaker  Card  and  Self  Feed. 


short,  stripper  apron  sweeps  the  wool 
from  the  spike  apron  into  the  scale 
pan-  When  the  desired  weight  of  wool 
is  deposited  in  the  scale,  the  sinking 
of  the  pan  raises  an  arm  which  en- 
gages with  suitable  levers  and  stops 
both  the  spike  and  stripper  aprons. 
By  means  of  a  lever  operated  by  a 
gear  driven  from  the  feed  apron,  the 
scale  pan  is  opened  and  the  wool  de- 
posited on  the  feed  apron  of  the  card. 
The  empty  pan  then  is  lifted  by  the 
counterpoise  disengaging  the  stop 
mechanism,  and  the  operations  are 
repeated.  With  the  placing  of  the 
stock  on  the  feed  apron  of  the  first 
breaker  card,  the  process  of  carding 
really  begins.  The  objects  of  carding 
are  threefold:  the  opening  out  of  the 
fibres  of  the  wool,  the  completion  of 


which  consists  of  opening  and  card- 
ing the  wool  by  means  of  revolving 
cylinders  covered  with  card  clothing 
filled  with  wire  teeth,  the  carding  ac- 
tion taking  place  when  the  teeth  of 
two  opposing  cylinders  work  point 
against  point;  the  stripping  of  the 
carded  web  from  the  cylinder  by  the 
points  of  the  clothing  on  one  cylin- 
der, working  against  the  backs  of  the 
teeth  on  the  other.  On  an  ordinary 
set  of  48x48  cards  there  are  usual- 
ly six  workers  on  the  first  and 
second  breakers,  and  five  on  the  fin- 
isher. The  illustration  shows  the 
method  of  action  of  a  worker  F,  and 
stripper  G,  in  connection  with  the 
main  cylinder  E,  of  the  card,  giving  a 
clear  idea  of  both  the  carding  and 
stripping.    At  the  rear  of  the  last 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


19 


worker  on  each  card  is  a  roll  covered 
with  longer  wire,  which  has  neither 
a  carding  nor  stripping  action,  but 
acts 

MORE  IN  THE  NATURE 
of  a  brush.  The  surface  speed  is 
slightly  greater  than  that  of  the  cylin- 
der, and  the  clothing  raises  the  stock 
to  the  points  of  the  teeth  on  the  cylin- 
der from  which  it  is  rapidly  removed 
by  the  doffer.  An  oscillating  comb  at 
the  back  of  the  doffer  removes  the 


it  differs  somewhat  because  of  the 
change  in  the  method  of  feeding.  The 
illustration  shows  the  back  of  the  first 
breaker  and  the  Apperly  feed  ap- 
plied to  the  second  breaker  and  is  suf- 
ficiently clear  to  require  no  detailed 
explanation.  From  the  second  break- 
er, the  stock  is  transferred  to  the  fin- 
isher by  a  similar  feed  and  is  sub- 
jected to  still  further  carding.  The 
chief  point  of  difference  between  the 
finisher  and  the  two  breaker  cards  is 


stock  in  a  continuous  web,  which  is 
drawn  off  at  the  side  through  a  tube 
by  suitable  rollers,  and  usually  con- 
veyed to  the  second  breaker  in  rope 
form  by  the  Apperly  feed,  thus  elimi- 
nating the  use  of  the  old  style  creel. 
The  second  breaker  card  is  not  essen- 
tially different  from  the  first  breaker, 
usually  the  clothing  is  finer,  and  it 
may  be  set  somewhat  closer,  the  ac- 
tion being  virtually  the  same,  con- 
tinuing the  carding  and  completing  the 
mixing  of  the  stock.    In  appearance 


at  the  delivery  end.  Instead  of  deliv- 
ering the  stock  in  rope  form  from  a 
single  doffer,  the  finisher  is  provided 
with  two  ring  doffers.  The  rolls  are 
not  entirely  covered  with  card  cloth- 
ing but  have  alternate  rings  of  cloth- 
ing as  shown  in  the  cut.  The  doffers 
are  so  arranged  that  the  portion  of 
the  cylinder  not  stripped  by  the  upper 
rings  comes  in  contact  with  the  cloth- 
ing of  the  bottom  doffer,  and  the  web 
is  divided  into  ribbons  which  pass 
through  the  condenser,  where  they 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


21 


are  subjected  to  a  reciprocating  mo- 
tion, and  rubbed  into  threads  termed 
roving,  which  are  wound  on  spools 
ready  for  the  spinning  room. 

The  importance  of  care  and  accu- 
racy in  setting  the  various  parts 
of   the   card   cannot   be  too  strongly 


Ring  Doffers  on  Finisher  Card — j^,  j2, 


emphasized,  as  inattention  to  these 
details  will  result  in  serious  injury  to 
the  stock,  as  well  as  irreparable  dam- 
age to  the  card  clothing  itself.  The 
necessity  of  removing  burs  and  lumps 
of    foreign    matter    cannot    be  too 


strongly  impressed  upon  the  opera- 
tives, as  in  case  these  are  allowed  to 
enter  the  cards  with  the  stock,  the 
wire  becomes  bruised  and  bent,  and  is 
rendered  totally  incapable  of  perform- 
ing the  functions  for  which  it  was  in- 
tended.   The  care  and  setting  of  the 


Empty  Spaces;  j3,  Waste  End  Rings. 


various  parts  of  the  cards  cannot  be 
taken  up  in  the  brief  description  of 
the  process  here  given  and  belong  in 
a  more  technical  treatise  of  the  sub- 
ject than  space  at  this  time  will  al- 
low. 


22 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Woolen  Spinning 


There  are  probably  very  few  of  the 
present  generation  who  have  seen 
wool  spun  on  the  old  fashioned  wheel, 
so  commonly  used  in  our  grandmoth- 
er's day.  It  is  only  a  few  genera- 
tions ago  that  the  women  of  the 
household  were  accustomed  to  spin 
the  various  fibres  into  yarn,  and 
weave,  on  a  primitive  type  of 
hand  loom,  not  only  the  cloth  for  the 
garments  of  the  family,  but  the  linen 
for  the  table  and  bedding.  It  is  less 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago 
that  the  first  machine  for  spinning 
more  than  one  thread  at  a  time  was 
invented  by  James  Hargreaves.  This 
was  a  wonderful  improvement  over 
the  process  then  in  vogue,  and  the 
perfection  of  the  jack  by  Samuel 
Crompton  in  1779  apparently  left 
nothing  to  be  desired.  It  would  be 
extremely  interesting  to  listen  to  the 
comments  these  pioneers  in  the  in- 
dustry would  make,  could  they  be 
translated  to  a  modern  spinning  room, 
with  its 

SELF-ACTING  MULES, 
of  some  560  spindles  each,  operating 
at  a  speed  of  three  draws  per  min- 
ute. The  production  of  one 
of  these  mules,  1,680  yards  of 
yam  per  minute,  would  certain- 
ly appear  to  them  as  but  little 
short  of  marvelous.  For  the  greater 
part  of  a  century,  the  hand  jack  was 
the  type  of  machine  used  in  the 
woolen  mills.  This  machine,  while 
a  vast  improvement  over  former 
methods,  was  somewhat  slow  and 
laborious.  The  minds  of  many 
skilled  mechanics  were  engaged  on 
the  problem  of  increasing  the  ef- 
ficiency of  the  jack  by  modifications 
and  improvements  that  should 
make  it  automatic  in  its  action.  The 
use  of  the  hand  jack  required  the 
spinner  to  wind  the  yarn,  and 
form  the  bobbins  by  hand,  as  indi- 
cated by  the  name  of  the  machine, 
while  in  the  modern  type  of  mule,  as 
built  by  both  foreign  and  domestic 
manufacturers,  the  action  is  automatic 


throughout.  All  that  is  required  of 
the  operative,  practically,  is  to  keep 
it  supplied  with  roving,  remove  the 
full  bobbins,  place  a  set  of  empty 
bobbins  on  the  spindles  and  start  the 
mule.  The  spinning  process  consists 
of 

THREE  OPERATIONS, 

drawing  out  the  roving,  inserting  the 
required  amount  of  twist  and  winding 
the  thread  on  the  bobbin.  In  a  pre- 
vious article  the  carding  of  wool  was 
described,  ending  with  the  winding  of 
the  roving  on  jack  spools,  in  which 
condition  it  is  taken  to  the  spinning 
room,  ready  for  the  mules. 

The  method  of  operation  may  be 
briefly  described  as  follows:  A  por- 
tion of  roving  is  unwound  from  the 
spool,  drawn  and  twisted  to  the  de- 
sired size  and  wound  on  bobbins  or 
tubes,  for  ease  of  handling  in  subse- 
quent processes.  The  mule  has  as  its 
principal  features,  three  distinct 
parts,  each  of  which  are  intimately 
connected  with  the  successful  per- 
formance of  the  work.  These  are  the 
carriage,  the  head  stock  and  the 
mechanism  for  supplying  the  roving. 

The  carriage  travels  in  and  out  au- 
tomatically and  carries  near  its  outer 
edge  the  spindles  which  are  driven 
from  a  sectional  cylinder,  extending 
the  length  of  the  carriage,  by  cotton 
bands.  Its  motion  is  controlled  by 
the  headstock,  from  which  every 
movement  of  each  part  of  the  machine 
is  governed  by  means  of  suitable 
gears  and  cams.  The  line  drawing 
gives  a  very  clear  idea  of  the  various 
parts  and  their  relative  positions.  The 
spool  of  roving.  A,  is  placed  on  the 
drum,  Al,  the  ends  passed  through  the 
guide,  A2,  which  keeps  them  in  the 
center  of  the  bosses  on  the  drawing  off 
rolls,  A4  and  A5.  The  outer  end  of  the 
roving  is  then  fastened  to  the  bobbin, 
C8,  on  the  spindle,  C7.  The  lower  pair 
of  delivery  rolls  are  driven  by  a  train 
of  gears  from  the  roving  drum,  Al, 
which  in  turn  is  driven  from  the  head- 
stock.    The  spindle  is  supported  by 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


23 


means  of  a  "stepboard"  at  the  lower 
end  and  a  "collarboard"  at  the  top 
of  the  carriage,  and  has  a  slight  in- 
clination toward  the  delivery  rolls. 
About  midway  between  the  step  and 
collarboards  is  the  whorl,  C8,  a  small 
grooved  pulley,  around  which  the 
driving  band  passes.  In  former  years 
each  spindle  was  driven  by  a  single 
band,  but  the  approved  method  at 
present  is  to  drive 

ONE  OR  MORE  SECTIONS 
by  a  band  passing  around  a  spindle 
and  the  cylinder  alternately.  The 


motion,  usually  72  inches,  and  remains 
there  until  sufficient  twist  has  been 
inserted.  When  this  has  been  accom- 
plished, the  fallers  assume  the  proper 
position,  the  carriage  is  drawn  in, 
winding  the  yarn  on  the  bobbins  at 
the  same  time.  To  one  not  familiar 
with  the  machine  it  would  seem  that 
the  roving  would  be  immediately  brok- 
en by  the  rotation  of  the  spindles.  The 
fact  that  the  point  of  the  spindle  is 
slightly  below  the  level  of  the  delivery 
rolls,  together  with  its  inclination  per- 
mits the  yarn  to  slip  off  over  the  top 


End  View  of  Mule. — a,  Spool  of  Roving;  a1,  Roving  Drum;  a2,  Roving  Guide; 
a3,  Sectional  Top  Roll;  a4,  a5,  Delivery  Rolls;  a6,  Thread;  b1,  b4,  Fall- 
ers; c7,  Spindle;  c8.  Bobbin;  c4,  Cylinder. 


arms,  Bl  and  B4,  termed  "fallers"  carry 
wires  which  serve  to  keep  the  yarn 
taut,  and  guide  it  while  winding  on 
the  bobbin.  The  operation  will  be 
more  readily  comprehended  if  the  de- 
scription follows  the  action  from  the 
beginning  of  a  draw.  When  in  this 
position  the  tops  of  the  spindles  are 
slightly  below  and  about  an  inch  from 
the  delivery  rolls.  The  delivery  of 
roving  from  the  rolls,  the  rotation  of 
the  spindles,  and  the  drawing  out  of 
the  carriage  are  started  at  the  same 
instant.  While  the  roving  is  being 
delivered,  the  speed  of  the  carriage  is 
about  the  same  as  the  surface  speed 
of  the  delivery  rolls.  When  the  rolls 
stop,  the  carriage  continues  to  draw 
the  yarn,  till  it  reaches  its  limit  of 


as  the  spindle  revolves,  and  each  rev- 
olution of  the  spindle  puts  one  turn 
of  twist  in  the  yarn.  To  watch  the 
operation  of  a  mule  while  spinning  Is 
extremely  interesting,  and  would  al- 
most convince  one  that  it  was  pos- 
sessed of  an  intelligence  of  its  own. 
The  motion  of  the  carriage  in  either 
direction,  the  delivery  of  a  determined 
length  of  roving,  acceleration  of  spin- 
dle speed  during  the  drawing  and 
twisting,  the  easing  off  to  allow  for 
the  contraction  of  the  yarn  due  to 
the  twist  and  the  perfect  formation  of 
the  bobbin  from  bottom  to  top  seem 
well  nigh  impossible  for  inanimate 
matter  to  accomplish. 

When  the  bobbins  are  full,  they 
must  be  removed  and  the  spindles  re- 


24 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


filled  with  empty  ones.  This  is  ac-  operation  is  completed,  the  fallers 
complished    without    disturbing    the     locked  down,  and  a  few  turns  of  yarn 


yarn.  The  mule  is  stopped  just  as  it 
is  about  to  back  off  after  the  twisting 


taken  about  the  spindle  below  the  bob- 
bin, which  fastens  it  securely,  then 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


25 


the  full  bobbins  may  be  removed.  The 
objects  to  be  obtained  by  spinning  are 
not,  as  many  suppose,  simply  the 
twisting  of  the  yarn  and  placing  it 
on  bobbins.  In  addition  to  these  very 
important  features,  the  drawing  of 
the  yarn  plays  an  essential  part  in 
the  production  of  a  sound,  perfect 
thread.  In  common  with  nearly  every 
process  in  textile  manufacturing,  the 
success  of  the  spinning  depends  to  a 
marked  degree  on  the  thoroughness 
with  which  the  previous  operations 
have  been  performed.  While  it  is  un- 
deniably true  that  an  expert  spinner 
can  do  much  toward  rectifying  mis- 
takes that  have  been  made  in  the  card 
room,  it  is,  nevertheless,  impossible 
for  him  to  attain  the  highest  possible 
success,  if  the  materials  with  which 
he  has  to  deal  are  not  in  the  best  pos 
sible  condition  when  he  receives  th^m 

It  is  utterly  impossible  for  the 
most  expert  spinner  to  make  a  per- 
fect, even  thread  from  uneven, 
twitty  roving.  By  skillful  adjustment 
of  the  various  parts  of  the  mule,  he 
may  be  able  to  overcome  in  part 
some  of  the  defects  due  to  lack  of  care 
in  the  carding. 

IMPORTANCE  OP  DRAWING. 
It  is  a  matter  of  some  surprise  that 
so  many  spinners  have  so  slight  a  real- 
ization of  the  extremely  important 
part  that  the  drawing  has  in  the  pro- 
duction of  perfect  yarn.  In  the  de- 
scription of  woolen  carding  it  will  be 
remembered  that  the  fancy  was  the 
last  roll  to  act  on  the  stock  before  it 
left  the  finisher  card  to  go  to  the  ring 
doffers  and  condensers.  The  state- 
ment was  made  that  the  fancy  simply 
acts  as  a  brush,  raising  the  stock  to 
the  points  of  the  teeth  of  the  cylinder 
clothing  so  that  it  may  be  the  more 
easily  removed  by  the  doffers.  This 
brushing  action  of  the  fancy,  together 
with  the  slower  surface  speed  of  the 
doffers,  has  a  marked  tendency  to  dis- 
arrange the  parallelization  of  the 
fibres  effected  by  the  carding.  The 

DRAWING  OPERATION 
during  the  process  of  spinning  cor- 
rects this    to    a    certain  extent,  and 
draws  the  fibres  into  a  more  nearly 
parallel  condition  again.     Very  fre- 


quently it  will  be  found  that  com- 
plaints of  tender  yarn  in  the  weave 
room  can  be  entirely  eliminated  by  a 
change  in  the  drafting  on  the  mules. 
It  is  manifestly  impossible  to  bring 
out  the  greatest  strength  one  is  able  to 
secure  with  the  stock  used  unless  the 
fibres  are  drawn  to  such  an  extent  as 
to  insure  their  interlacing  with  as 
many  others  o^  er  as  great  a  space  as 
is  possible.  Drawing  the  yarn 
while  twisting  also  tends  to  even  up 
the  inequalities  of  the  roving  some- 
what, the  twist  setting  in  the  finer 
spots  as  the  yarn  is  being  drawn, 
leaving  the  thicker  untwisted  portions 
to  be  drawn  out  and  reduced  to  more 
nearly  the  correct  size. 

The  production  per  spindle  is  de- 
pendent to  a  very  great  extent  upon 
the  size  of  the  yarn  and  the  quality 
of  the  stock.  The  usual  equipment  in 
modern  mills  is  to  allow  a  360-spindle 
mule  for  a  set  of  48-inch  cards.  The 
number  of  mule  spindles  required  to 
put  the  production  of  a  set  of  cards 
into  yarn,  however,  is  a  variable 
quantity,  depending  on  several  fea- 
tures. The  class  of  stock,  the  size  of 
the  yarn,  and  the  amount  of  draft  re- 
quired, all  have  a  very  material  effect 
on  this  question.  The  latter  is  an 
item  that  does  not  receive  the  atten- 
tion that  it  demands  at  all  times.  On 
gocd  stock  it  is  customary  to  make 
the  roving  double  the  weight  of  the 
yarn  to  be  spun,  that  is,  to  produce 
a  four  run  yarn  the  roving  would  be 
made  ^  ,o-run  on  the  cards.  If  in  the 
judgment  of  the  spinner,  the  stock 
will  permit,  it  would  be  well  to  make 
the  roving  still  heavier,  making  a  ma- 
terial increase  in  the  card  room  pro- 
duction without  in  any  way  affecting 
the  quality  or  running  of  the  yarn  on 
the  mules.  On  coarse  yarns  the  man- 
ufacture of  which  presumably  entails 
the  use  of  a  cheaper  and  inferior 
stock,  it  may  be  necessary  to  make 
the  roving  relatively  finer,  that  is,  % 
run  or  possibly  1  run  to  produce  a  1% 
run  yarn.  It  is  impossible  to  formu- 
late a  rule  that  will  give  the  best  re- 
sults at  all  times,  and  details  of  this 
kind  must  be  left  for  the  carder  and 
spinner  to  deal  with  as  the  exigencies 
of  the  ca^^e  demand. 


26 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Worsted  Yarn  Manufacture 


The  first  operation  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  worsted  yarns,  except  in  the 
case  of  a  few  varieties  of  extremel> 
long  wools,  is  somewhat  similar  to  the 
first  process  used  for  woolen  yarn 
making.  Instead  of  the  set  of  cards, 
consisting  of  three  separate  machines, 
the  worsted  card  is  a  single  machine 
with  two  or  three  cylinders  mounted 
on  the  same  frame,  with  workers  and 
strippers  similar  in  appearance  and 
functions  to  those  on  the  woolen  card 
described  in  a  former  article.  The 
object  of  carding  is  to  comb  the  wool 
and  lay  the  fibres  as  straight  and  as 
nearly  parallel  as  possible,  making  a 
sliver  in  which  every  fibre  retains  its 
length.  A  very  important  item  is  that 
the 

WEIGHT  OF  THE  SLIVER 
be  maintained  as  uniform  as  possible 
from  day  to  day,  otherwise  it  will  be 
impossible  for  the  comber  to  make 
the  comb  slivers  of  uniform  weight. 

A  marked  difference  betwoer  wool- 
en and  worsted  carding  is  iu  the 
method  of  removing  the  carded  wool 
from  the  machine.  In  the  worsted  card 
the  stock  is  taken  from  the  doffer  in 
the  form  of  a  fiat  web  by  a  vibratory 
comb,  and  delivered  through  a  tube 
to  the  balling  head,  without  a  change 
in  its  direction  of  motion  through  the 
card.  This  tends  to  preserve  the  par- 
allelization  of  the  fibres  affected  by 
the  carding  operation.  The  balls  of 
"slubbing"  are  then  placed  on  the 
preparing  gill  boxes  where  a  further 
combing  takes  place.  The  essential 
features  of  the  gill  box  are  the  front 
and  back  rolls  and  a  set  of  fallers  as 
shown  in  ^  igure  1.  The  action  of  the 
machine  is  governed  entirely  by  the 

RELATIVE  SPEEDS 
of  these  three  parts.  The  motion  of 
the  rolls  is  rotary,  that  of  the  fallers 
horizontal,  all  three  moving  the  wool 
forward  in  the  same  direction.  The 
combing  action  of  the  gill  box  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  back  rolls,  fallers  and 
front  rolls  all  move  at  different 
speeds.  Reference  to  Fig.  1  will  make 


the  explanation  of  the  opera- 
tion more  clear.  We  will  assume  that 
the  back  rolls  A  are  delivering  a 
sliver  to  th'i  fallers  B,  which  are  steel 
bars  containing  two  rows  of  pins. 
While  the  back  rolls  are  delivering 
one  inch  the  fallers  may  travel  one 
and  a  half  inches,  and  in  the  same 
time  the  front   rolls   C   deliver  six 


Fig.    1.    End   Vie\     of   Gill  Box 
Back   Rolls;    P,   Fr.lers;    C,  Fr 
Rolls. 

inches.  The  a^row  indicates  the  di- 
rection of  motion  of  the  fallers,  which 
are  carried  by  a  screw.  When  in  the 
position  indicated  by  1  the  faller 
drops  to  a  second  screw  which  car- 
ries it  back  directly  under  that  mark- 
ed 2,  and  is  raised  into  position  as  No. 
2  travels  forward.  Prom  this  gill  box 
the  slubbing  may  Le  taken  to  the 
back  washer  to  remove  the  impurities 
from  the  wool.  This  is  accomplished 
by  passing  the  sliver  through  two 
bowls,  ea^^h  of  which  have  a  pair  of 
squeeze  rolls  to  press  out  the  suds 
after  treatment.  From  the  last  pair 
of  rolls  the  sliver  passes  over  a  se- 
ries of  heated  cylinders  which  dry  it 
.  thoroughly  before  it  reaches  the  gill 
box  attached  to  the  front  of  the  back 
washing  machine.  In  many  spinning 
mills  it  is  customary  to  apply  oil  just 
previous  to  gilling  od  the  back  wash- 
er, while  in  others  this  is  done  during 
the  next  gilling  operation,  from  which 
the  sliver  goes  to  the  "punch  box,"  a 
machine  that  rolls  four  ends  of  sli^xjr 
into  a  ball  ready  for  comb*:rg 
WORSTED  COMBING. 
The  type  of  comb  most  commonly 
used  in  our  domestic  mills  is  the 
Noble  or  great  circle  comb,  of  which 
Figure  2  is  an  illustration.  This  is 
used  for  combing  all  classes  of  wools, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


27 


though  the  Lister  or  nip  comb  is  prob- 
ably adapted  for  extremely  long 
stocks.  Though  the  general  design 
and  principle  of  the  Noble  comb  have 
not  been  changed  in  over  25  years,  it 
has  been  materially  improved  me- 
chanically. The  first  and  more  im- 
portant of  these  improvements  was 
the  invention  of  a  greatly  accelerated 
dabbing  brush,  increasing  the  produc- 
tion about  20  per  cent;  the  second, 
and    comparatively    recent  improve- 


tical  drawing-off  rolls,  which  take 
away  the  sliver  of  long  fibres.  The 
success  of  the  machine  is  due  to  its 
simplicity,  depending  on  the  comb  cir- 
cles alone  to  clear  the  wool  and  re- 
move the  noil,  as  the  short,  curly  fi- 
bres are  termed.  Another  point  of 
difference  from  all  other  combs  is  that 
the  wool  in  process  of  combing  is  car- 
ried in  a  creel  attached  to  the  re- 
volving circle.  The  punch  box  meas- 
ures the  length  of  sliver  wound  into 


Fig.  2.    Improved  Noble  Comb. 


ment,  was  the  application  of  ball 
bearings  to  the  carriage,  which  has 
reduced  the  power  consumption  to  a 
marked  degree. 

The  principal  features  of  the  comb 
are  the  large  horizontal  circle  with  its 
five  rows  of  vertical  pins,  two  small 
horizontal  circles  with  rows  of  upright 
pins,  the  outer  row  of  which  touch 
the  inner  row  of  pins  on  the  large  cir- 
cle, the  two  dabbing  brushes,  which 
drive  the  wool  down  into  the 

PINS  OF  THE  TWO  CIRCLES 

at  this  point  of  contact,  and  the  ver- 


the  four  end  balls,  as  it  is  essential 
that  each  ball  should  contain  the 
same  length.  The  creel  holds  18 . 
balls,  a  total  of  72  slivers  being  comb- 
ed at  the  same  time,  which  insures 
very  thorough  mixing.  The  perimeter 
speed  of  the  large  and  small  circles 
is  the  same,  so  that  at  the  point  of 
contact  they  are  practically  stationary 
in  regard  to  each  other,  which  per- 
mits of  the  wool  being  pushed  down 
into  both  circles  simultaneously.  The 
combing  results  from  the  fact  that  as 
the  circles  rotate  they  draw  apart,  so 
that  the  wool,  which  was  forced  into 


28 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  pins  of  the  circles  when  they  were  forced  into  the  pins  by  the  dab- 
close  together,  is  combed  as  the  dis-  bing  brush.  As  in  fine  circles 
tance  between  the  circles  increases.      there  is  less  than  1-100  of  an  inch 


Fig.  3.    Double  Can  Gill  Box. 


The  efficiency  of  the  comb  depends  between  the  pins  it  is  obvious 
on  the  separation  of  the  circles,  as  all  that  no  nibs  or  vegetable  mat- 
the  short  wool,  nibs  and  shive,  are     ter    can    pass    through    these  fine 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


29 


spaces,  so  that  the  fringe  of  wool 
hanging  from  the  circles  is  free  from 
all  matter  of  this  nature.  As  the  cir- 
cles travel  the  fringes  of  long  wool 
are  engaged  by  the  drawing-off  rolls 
and  removed  in  the  form  of  a  continu- 
ous sliver  of  long  fibres,  leaving  the 
short  wool,  burs  and  nibs  within  the 
rows  of  pins.  This  mixture,  termed 
noil,  is  removed  by  a  set  of  station- 
ary knives,  and  falls  into  a  funnel 
which  conducts  it  under  the  comb. 
The  combed  sliver,  called  top,  is  car- 
ried to  the  back  of  the  machine  and 
coiled  into  a  can.  To  prepare  the 
sliver  for  the  drawing  and  spinning 
requires  the  use  of  two  gill  boxes. 
The  objects  to  be  obtained  are  four- 
fold: 1.  The  blending  of  the  various 
lengths  of  fibres.  2.  To  further  par- 
allelize them.  3.  The  application  of 
water  in  order  to  properly  condition 
the  top  so  as  to  insure  every  yard  of 
sliver  weighing  the  same.  4.  Winding 
the  sliver  into  balls  for  economy  of 
space  and  to  facilitate  handling  in  the 
drawing  room. 

In  order  to  obtain  a  sliver  that  shall 
be  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible,  it  is 
essential  that  the  various  lengths  of 
fibre  should  be  mixed  thoroughly 
through  every  portion.  The  sliver 
from  the  Noble  comb  is  made  up  of 
four  small  slivers  from  the  four  sets 
of  drawing-off  rolls.  The  wool  from  the 
large  circle  is  longer  than  that  drawn 
from  the  small  one,  necessitating  the 
gilling  operation  to  equalize  the 
length  of  the  fibres  in  all  parts  of  the 
silver.  (See  Figure  3.)  The  chief 
point  of  difference  in  the 
two  finishing  gill  boxes  is  that 
the  first  delivers  into  a  can,  while  the 
second  winds  the  finished  top  into  a 
ball.  It  must  not  be  understood  that 
a  single  sliver  is  delivered  to  a  gill 
box  for  treatment.  At  the  first  box, 
28  cans  of  comber  sliver  are  placed  in 
position,  and  the  ends  fed  to  the  back 
rolls.  Assuming  that  the  comber  sliver 
weighs  an  ounce  per  10  yards,  and  the 
box  has  a  draft  of  five, 

THE  RESULTING  SLIVER 
will  weigh  5.6  ounces  per  10  yards. 
Four  of  these  slivers  may  be  fed  to 
the  second  box,  which,  with  a  draft 
of  five,  will  give   a   finished  sliver 


weighing  practically  4^^  ounces  per  10 
yards.  In  order  to  make  yarn  of  uni- 
form weight,  it  is  essential  that  the 
tops  go  to  the  drawing  room  of  uni- 
form weight  and  with  a  standard 
amount  of  oil  and  water,  or  as  it  is 
usually  termed  "condition."  The  sliver 
is  now  in  the  condition  known  as  fin- 
ished tops  and  ready  for  the  next 
series  of  processes  termed  drawing. 
WORSTED  DRAWING. 

Many  of  our  smaller  worsted  spin- 
ning mills  buy  their  raw  material  in 
the  form  of  finished  tops,  confining 
their  operations  to  the  drawing  and 
spinning.  The  process  of  drawing  con- 
tinues the  operation  of  parallelizing 
the  fibres  and  reduces  the  slivers  to 
roving  suitable  for  the  spinning 
frames.  This  is  accomplished  on  a  se- 
ries of  machines  technically  termed  a 
set  of  drawing.  There  are  three  sys- 
tems in  common  use:  open  drawing, 
cone  drawing  and  French  drawing. 
The  first  two  are  variations  of  the 
Bradford  system,  the  first  of  which 
will  be  described  here.  The  principle 
of  drawing  is  simple  in  the  extreme, 
consisting  of  reducing  a  large  sliver, 
or  number  of  slivers,  down  to  a  rov- 
ing small  enough  to  be  spun  without 
excessive  draft,  at  the  same  time  to 
so  even  the  sliver  that  the  spun  thread 
will  be  of  a  uniform  size.  This  can  be 
done  in  no  other  way  than  by  a  pair  of 
back  rolls  revolving  slowly, 
drawing  the  sliver  in,  and  feed- 
ing it  in  turn  to  a  pair  of  front 
rolls  revolving  rapidly  and  draw- 
ing the  wool  out.  By  a  repetition  of 
this  process  and  a  sufl[icient  number 
of  doublings,  a  roving  of  the  correct 
weight  and  condition  is  produced. 

A  set  of  drawings  for  yarns  to  be 
spun  to  40s  or  thereabouts  consists 
of  about  eight  operations  and  requires 
the  following  machines: 

First       operation  2  double    head    can  gill 
boxes. 

Second  operation  2  two-spindle  gill  boxes. 
Third  operation  1  four-spindle  draw  box. 
Fourth  operation  1  six-spindle  weigh  box. 
Fifth  operation  1  eight-spindle  draw  box. 
Sixth  operation  2  twenty-four  spindle 
finishers. 

Seventh  operation  3  thirty-spindle  reducers. 
Eighth    operation  9  thirty-spindle  rovers. 

The  doublings  and  reductions  for  a 
1,282  dram  top  (40  yard  weighing)  to 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


31 


produce  a  4  dram  roving  would  be  as 
follows:  Five  slivers  at  the  first  gill 
box,  with  a  draft  of  seven,  will  give  a 
sliver  weighing  916  drams.  Five  of 
these  at  the  two  spindle  gill  box,  with 
a  draft  of  seven,  will  give  a  sliver 
weighing  654  drams.  Five  of  these  in 
the  four  spindle  draw  box,  with  a  draft 
of  seven,  will  give  a  sliver  weighing 
467  drams.  Four  of  these,  with  a 
draft  of  seven  in  the  six  spindle  weigh 
box,  will  result  in  a  sliver  weighing 
267  drams.  In  the  next  operation, 
three  slivers  are  put  up  at  the  back 
of  the  eight  spindle  draw  box.  With 
a  draft  of  seven  the  sliver  produced 
will  weigh  114 drams.  Three  of 
these  slivers  in  the  finisher,  with  a 
draft  of  seven,  will  give  a  sliver 
weighing  but  49  drams.  Two  49  dram 
slivers  at  the  reducer  will  produce  a 
14  dram  sliver  with  a  draft  of  seven. 
For  the  final  operation  in  the  drawing, 
two  of  these  slivers  are  placed  on  the 
rovers,  and  with  a  draft  of  seven,  pro- 
duce the  desired  roving,  weighing  4 
drams.  The  rovings  from  this  frame 
are  taken  to  the  spinning  room  ready 
for  the  final  processes  of  yarn  making. 

WORSTED  SPINNING. 

Of  the  four  methods  of  worsted 
spinning  in  common  use,  the  cap 
frame  is,  perhaps,  the  most  used  and 
is  the  one  here  shown  in 
Figure  4.  The  spinning  proc- 
ess, as  stated  in  the  article 
on  woolen  yarn  making,  consists  of 
three  operations,  drafting,  twisting 
and  winding  the  yarn  on  bobbins. 
These  are  all  accomplished  on  the 
same  machine,  and  on  the  cap  frame 
are  continuous. 

The  cap  frame  is  particularly  well 
adapted  for  the  production  of  fine 
counts  of  yarns,  and  is  capable  of  a 
much  greater  production  than  other 
types  of  spinning  frames,  as  the  spin- 
dle speed  may  be  much  greater  than 
would  be  possible  on  the  other  sys- 
tems. The  disadvantage  of  this  meth- 
od of  spinning  is  that  the 
high  spindle  speed  (6,000  to 
8,000  evolutions  per  minute)  with 
nothing  to  protect  the  yarn  in  its 
rapid  travel  around  the  cap,  creates 
a  considerable  friction  with  the  air, 
producing  a  somewhat  rougher  thread 


which  raises  the  fibres  on  the  yarn, 
than  a  flyer  or  ring  frame.  The  enor- 


b^4 


W 


Fig.  5.  A,  Cap;  B,  Bobbin;  W, 
Whorl;  L,  Lifter  Plate;  S,  Spindle; 
R,  Spindle  Rail. 

mously  greater  production,  however, 
overcomes  this  objection  in  a  great 


32 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


measure,  as  also  does  the  fact  that  the 
defect  is  not  nearly  as  noticeable  on 
fine  yarns.  The  method  of  operation 
will  be  readily  understood  by  refer- 
ring to  Figures  5  and  6.  The 
line  drawing,  Figure  5,  shows  a 
bobbin  partially  filled.  A  is  the  cap, 
fixed  at  the  top  to  the  spindle.  B  is 
the  bobbin  on  a  tube  or  sleeve  inte- 
gral with  the  whirl  W,  which  is  rais- 
ed and  lowered  by  the  lifter  plate  L. 
R  is  the  spindle  rail,  into  which  the 
spindle  S  is  firmly  screwed.  The  draft- 
ing is  accomplished  by  means  of  back 
and  front  rollers  similar  to  the  meth- 
od employed  in  the  drawing.  An  end 
elevation  of  the  roving  and  drawing 


bobbing.  The  back  rolls  are  metal,  the 
carriers  usually  of  wood;  the  bottom 
front  roll  is  metal  and  the  top  roll 
metal  with  a  covering  of  leather.  The 
wearing  of  this  leather  in  spots  is  a 
frequent  source  of  imperfection  in 
the  yarns,  and  requires  the  recover- 
ing of  the  rolls.  The  top  rolls  in  the 
drawing  and  spinning  rooms  should 
be 

FREQUENTLY  INSPECTED 

by  those  in  charge  of  ihe  departments, 
and  defective  rolls  replaced  with 
those  in  perfect  condition,  so  that  the 
labor  of  removing  defects  in  yarn  and 
cloth  may  be  minimized.  Yarns  to  be 


^  E\je  Boord 


Fig.  6.    Sectional  View  of  Tops  of  Spinning  Frame — 2  ^uide;  3,  3A,  Back 
Rolls;  4,  Carrier  Rolls;  5,  5A,  Front  Rolls. 

used  for  warp  are  usually  two  plied, 
that  is  two  threads  from  the  spinning 
frame  are  placed  on  the  twisting  ma 
chine  and  given  a  varied  number  of 
turns  per  inch,  depending  on  the  size 
of  tlie  yarn  and  the  use  to  which  it 
is  to  be  put.  Filling  yarns  are  very 
frequently  used  directly  from  the 
spinning  bobbin. 


rolls  is  here  given.  The  spools  of  rov- 
ing are  placed  on  the  upper  part  of 
the  frame  on  suitable  spindles,  the 
roving  passing  through  the  guide  2 
between  the  back  rolls  3,  3A  and  the 
carrier  rolls  4  to  the  front  rolls  5  and 
5A,  which  revolve  faster  than  the  back 
rolls,  thus  reducing  the  roving,  which 
is  then  twisted  and  wound  on  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


33 


Vigoureux  Printing 


Though  comparatively  new  in  the 
United  States,  the  vigoureux  system 
of  printing  tops  is  by  no  means  a  new 
process,  having  been  invented  by  M. 
Vigoureux  of  Rheims.  The  process 
consists  of  printing  the  slivers  with 


Printed  Sliver. 

bands  of  color  by  means  of  fluted 
rollers,  which  are  interchangeable, 
producing  various  percentages  of  col- 
ored and  white  sliver  as  desired.  The 
cut  shows  a  portion  of  the  sliver  as 
it  comes  from  a  printing  gill  which 
was  fitted  with  double  spiral  fluted 


rolls,  forming  a  cross  hatch  pattern. 

It  is  not  customary  to  use  more 
than  one  color,  as  it  has  been  proven 
extremely  unsatisfactory  to  make 
fancy  mixtures  in  this  way.  If  it  is 
desired  to  have  several  colors  in  the 
mix  it  has  been  found 

LESS  EXPENSIVE 
to  print  the  various  colors  on  separate 
slivers  and  blend  them  in  the  gill 
boxes.  For  some  years  it  was  consid- 
ered that  yarns  made  by  the  vig- 
oureux system  were  not  suitable  for 
men's  wear  purposes,  but  of  late  the 
process  has  been  so  improved  that  the 
results  will  permit  of  their  being  used 
in  practically  any  fabric.  The  great 
superiority  of  this  method  of  produc- 
ing mJxture  yarns  over  that  of  mix- 
ing slivers  of  different  colors  in  the 
gilling  is  the  greater  evenness  of  the 
resulting  thread.  The  blotchy  appear- 
ance of  the  goods,  so  often  seen  in  or- 
dinary mixtures,  is  entirely  eliminat- 
ed, for  instead  of  every  fibre  being  en- 
tirely of  one  color  each  has  its  pro- 
portionate share  of  color,  and  the 
blend  is  much  more  homogeneous 
than  can  possibly  be  obtained  by  any 
other  method.  The  installation  here 
described  is  capable  of  producing  1,- 
500  pounds  daily,  and  consists  of  two 
printing  gills,  steam  box,  back  washer 
and  an  intersecting  gill  box  for  unfelt- 
ing.  The 

FIRST  OPERATION 

in  vigoureux  dyeing  consists  of  passing 
the  sliver  through  the  gill  box  and 
printing  machine.  The  tops  are  plac- 
ed in  a  creel  for  a  doubling  of  16  ends 
per  head.  The  gill  box  has  a  single 
head  of  wide  pitch,  the  pitch  being 
890  tnillimeters  and  the  set-over  500 
millimeters.  The  gill  box  is  of  the  or- 
dinary type  of  construction.  The  draft 
of  the  gill  box  is  from  4  to  6,  the 
slivers  leaving  the  front  rolls  in  a 
wide  sheet,  which  runs  under  the 
printing  rollers. 

The  coloring  matter  is  conveyed  to 
the  coloring  roll  by  a  rubber  roll,  par- 


34 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


tially  immersed  in  the  dyebath,  which 
is  contained  in  a  wooden  trough.  The 
coloring  roll  is  of  rubber,  covered 
with  felt.  The  machines  are  fitted  to 
operate  with  either  one  or  two  print- 
ing rollers  on  the  same  coloring  roller. 
The  printing  rollers  have 

SPIRAL  FLUTES, 
one  roller  having  the  spiral  to  the 
right,  the  other  to  the  left,  so  that, 
with  the  rollers  working  in  conjunc- 
tion, the  wool  is  marked  in  a  diamond 
shape.    The  mark  may  be  made  by 


necessary  to  have  an  assortment  of 
rolls  with  different  flutings.  By  the 
use  of  two  pairs  of  rolls,  one  coarse 
and  one  fine,  it  is  possible  to  obtain 
a  wide  variation  of  shades.  They  may 
be  used  singly  or  in  several  combina- 
tions, the  two  fine  rollers  together,  a 
single  roll,  either  coarse  or  fine,  or 
one  of  each  kind  together.  The  print- 
ed sheet  of  wool  on  leaving  the  roll- 
ers is  conducted  over  a  series  of 

REVOLVING  CAGES, 
in  order  to  allovv  the  dye  to  soak  in 


Printing  Gill  Box,  Skene  &  Devallee. 


close  or  open  mesh,  according  to  the 
pitch  of  the  flutes  of  the  printing  roll- 
ers. 

The  shade  of  the  resulting  mixture 
is  governed  entirely  by  the  closeness 
of  mesh  of  the  printed  pattern.  To 
obtain  various  depths  of  shade  It  is 


and  dry  somewhat  before  being  de- 
posited on  the  sheet.  The  use  of 
linen  sheets  for  receiving  the  wool 
from  the  printing  machine  is  recom- 
mended, as  they  are  best  adapted  for 
the  steaming  operation  wliich  follows. 
The  printed  tops,  tied   up   in  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


35 


linen  sheets,  are  placed  in  the  steam 
box  as  tightly  as  possible,  in  order 
that  the  steam  may  not  escape  freely 
but  penetrate  the  stock  thoroughly. 
The  use  of  a  wooden  steam  box  is  ad- 
vised* rather  than  one  constructed  of 
metal  for  obvious  reasons.  High  pres- 
sure in  iv  metal  receptacle  is  likely  to  do 
serious  injury  to  the  stock.  The  length 
of  time  necessary  for  the  steaming 
operation  varies  with  the  dyes  used 
and  the  quality  of  the  wool.  In  some 
cases,  after  an  hour's  steaming  at  low 
pressure,  the  stock  is  removed,  cool- 
ed off  and  again  subjected  to  the 
steaming.  When  cooled  off  the  stock 
is  placed  on  a  scray  under  the  creel 
of  the  back  washer.  This  is  preferably 
of  special  construction,  having  five 
bowls,  instead  of  the  two  found  in  the 
ordinary  machine.   The  doublings  are 


intersecting  gill  box.  This  is  of  the 
type  known  as  the 

INTERSECTING  GILL  BOX 

for  heavy  doubling  and  heavy  draft. 
The  doublings  here  are  10  per  head, 
with  a  draft  of  10.  The  peculiar  fea- 
ture of  this  machine  is  that  it  has,  in- 
stead of  a  single  set  of  fallers  with 
the  pins  pointing  up,  an  extra  set  for 
a  part  of  the  distance,  with  the  pins 
pointing  down  and  intersecting  with 
the  teeth  in  the  bottom  set.  The 
drawing  of  the  sliver  in  a  gill  box  of 
this  type  completely  removes  any 
tendency  toward  felting,  resulting 
from  the  preceding  processes. 

In  printing  tops  it  is  necessary  to 
use  a  gum  of  some  sort  in  the  dye- 
bath,  and  one  that  is  readily  soluble 
in  warm  water.  Those  in  most  com- 
mon use  are  British  gum  and  traga- 


Sectional  View  of  Printing  Gill. 


eight  to  twelve,  according  to  stock 
under  treatment.  After  passing 
through  the  five  bowls,  for  the  re- 
moval of  SIT r plus  dye,  the  sliver  is 
dried  by  passing  over  a  series  of  steam- 
heated  cylinders,  and  goes  direct  to  the 
double  head  gill  box  of  two  spools 
each,  which  is  built  integral  with  the 
back  washer.  The  final  operation,  or, 
as  it  might  be  considered,  the  first  in 
the  drawing,  is  the  passage  of  the 
washed  and  dried  slivers  through  the 


canth,  a  domestic  product,  D.  &  M. 
(Danker  &  Marston)  is  also  used  with 
very  satisfactory  results.  The  dyes 
used  for  this  system  are  of  many 
kinds,  the  dyer  having  a  wide  range 
of  drugs  to  choose  from. 

Some  of  the  colors  used  with  ex- 
cellent results  are:  Mordant  yellow 
G,  GS,  R  and  3D,  alizarine  red  S  pow- 
der, the  various  palatine  chrome 
browns  and  scarlets,  the  oxamine  col- 
ors and  the  anthracene  blues.  A  few 


36 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


formulas  that  have  worked  very  suc- 
cessfully in  mill  practice  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

8%  Alizarine  Black  S.  R.  powder. 
19%  Water. 
50%  British  gum. 

5%  Acetic  acid  9  degrees  Tw. 

3%  Oxalic  acid  dissolved  in 

5%  Water. 
10%  Acetate  of  chrome,  32  degrees  Tw. 

100% 

5%      Palatine  chrome  blue  R,  dissolved  in 
3%  Glycerine, 
251/2%  Plot  water  and 
50%      British  gum  thickening: 
When  cool,  add 
3%      Oxalate   of  ammonia, 
^%  Chlorate  of  soda, 
12%      Acetate  of  chrome  S.  32  degrees  Tw. 
1%      Turpentine  oil. 

100% 


5% 

Palatine  chrome  brown  R,  diasoive^ 

in 

37c 

Glycerine, 

ii  0  .'2  /o 

Hot  water  and 

50% 

British  gum  thickening; 

When  cool,  add 

3% 

Oxalate  of  ammonia, 

Chlorate  of  soda. 

12% 

Acetate  of  chrome  S.  S2  degrrees  Tw, 

1% 

Turpentine  oil. 

100% 

5%  Palatine  chrome  claret  dissolved  In 

3% 

Glycerine, 

251-^5% 

Hot  water  and 

50% 

British  gum  thickening: 

When  cool,  add 

3% 

Oxalate   of  ammonia, 

Chlorate  of  soda. 

12% 

Acetate  of  chrome  S.  32  degrees  Tw. 

1% 

Turpentine  oil. 

100% 


Angles  of  Twills 


O 


The  ordinary  method  of  construct- 
ing serpentine  twills  is  to  combine  a 
series  of  twills  whose  inclination  from 
the  horizontal  gives  the  desired  ef- 
fect. The  method  of  forming  such 
twills  is  very  simple  and  consists  of 

■■□■■■□■■□□□■■■■■□■■■■■□■□■□□□kl 
■■■■ 

□■□□■■■•■•□■■□□□■■■□■•■■■□■■■■■□a 
■«■■□«■■■■□•■■■■□ 

□■□•□•■•■■□^□□□□■SBaDHBHHHDBBBBH 
BDBDBDBBDBBBBBBDBBBBBaBBBBBDBBBB 

.  .  BaDaDa«BB«BliBaaCD«BaaMD««Btt»DBBB 
^  BBBD«aDBBBBDBB«BGaaKBBliDaBBBBDBB 
BBaaDDaaBDaaBttDDnDDBBBBaDBBBBaaB 

BBBBBBBnBiiBaBaaaifeD..DBaaBB  BBBaan 
□aaaa^DDaaDBDBBDDBDDDaBaaBDaBBBB 
□□BBBBBftDaaaaaaBBaa  □naaaBaDBBBB 

BDDaaB  □□BBaBDBttDttDBDDDaBBBBDBBB 

BaDDaaBBaaBDaaBaaD»DaDaDaBaaaD«B 

BBBDDBaCDDBBB»DaBw>DBDBaDDBBaBBDB 
aBB»DaBaaDBaBBttBBaaUBL_BDDDBBB»BD 
BBBBaDBBDD.BZBBDaBBBDBDaD-DaBBBB 

Serpentine  Twill   Made  by  Transpo- 
sition. 

using  the  regular  twill  as  a  base,  then 
taking  every  other  perpendicular  line 
in  the  draft,  every  third  line,  and 
proceeding  in  this  manner,  then  re- 
versing the  procedure  until  the  orig- 
inal twill  is  again  produced  as  in  the 
example  shown.  To  form  a  reclining 
twill  proceed  in  the  same  manner 
with  the 

HORIZONTAL  LINES. 
A  simi!ar  effect  may  be  produced  by 


a  change  of  texture  in  the  warp  as 
exemplified  in  the  boucl^  pattern  so 
popular  some  time  ago.  A  cut  of  the 
fabric  is  here  shown  and  will  convey 
to  the  mind  of  the  reader  the  effect 
produced  in  a  clearer  manner  than  a 
written  description.  The  warp  used 
for  the  fabric  illustrated  was  dressed 
20  ends  of  four  run  and  20  ends  of 
2  run  alternately,  the  four  run  reeded 
4  per  dent  and  the  2  run  2  per  dent, 
giving  a  fabric  of  even  weight 
throughout,  but  with  a  vastly  different 
texture  in  alternate  stripes.  In  the 
stripe  made  by  the  coarse  warp  yarn 
the  twill  is  practically  45  degrees  but 
in  the  fine  stripe  becomes  a  63-degree 
twill  with  the  same  chain  and  the 
identical  filling  texture,  the  change  in 
angle  of  the  twill  being  caused  entire- 
ly by  the  difference  in  warp  texture. 
It  is  supposed  by  many  that  the  ordi- 
nary type  of  twill  chain  will  produce 
a  45-degree  twill  on  the  woven  goods 
under  all  circumstances,  as  exempli- 
fied by  the  following  query,  but  the 
facts  in  the  case  are  as  stated  in  the 
answer  thereto. 

Ed.  American  Wool  &  Cotton  Reporter: 
We  are  lenclosing  a  small  sample  of  a 
four- harness  twill  that  we  figure  is  wov- 
en two  up  and  two  down.  You  will  no- 
tice, however,  that  the  twill  is  about 
'7    Tc^rf^o^,    v;hi:e    a    reg-ular  four-bar- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


37 


ness  twill  is  45  degrees.  How  in  your 
op.nion  is  this  27-degree  twill  obtained? 
Do  you  think  it  is  done  in  finishing  by 
the  tentering  machine?       Yours  truly, 

No.  2491. 

There  is  a  very  great  difference 
between  the  angle  at  which  a  weave 
runs  in  a  design  and  the  angle  at 


the  weave  upon  ordinary  design  paper 
or  upon  cloth  which  contains  exactly 
the  same  number  of  threads  and  also 
of  picks  per  inch.  Whenever  the  con- 
struction varies  from  the  same  num- 
ber of  threads  and  picks  per  inch 
THE  ANGLE  OF  THE  TWILL 
in  the  woven  cloth  will  vary  from  that 


Serpentine  Twill  IVIade  by  Variation  of  Warp  Texture. 


which  any  certain  weave  runs  when 
it  is  woven  into  cloth.  This  subject 
has  never  been  treated  at  all  clearly 
in  any  of  the  technical  books  upon  the 
subject  and  should  be  explained  care- 


originally  noted.  That  is,  it  will  no 
longer  be  at  the  angle  which  the 
weave  would  indicate  when  it  is  on 
the  design  paper.  The  idea  expressed 
in  this  inquiry  that  it  is  done  in  fin- 


fully  in  order  to  make  results  entirely 
clear.  Usually  aesign  books  give  cer- 
tain weaves  or  changes  of  weaves 
which  are  known  as  certain  degree 
twills,  and  this  Is  entirely  correct  for 


ishing  by  the  tentering  machine  is  in- 
correct, and  while  finishing  does  affect 
the  angle  in  the  cloth  to  a  slight 
amount,  it  has  nothing  whatever  to 
do  with  the  radical  changes  in  angle 


38 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


noted  in  the  cloth. 

There  is  used  in  this  cloth  a  four- 
harness  twill,  which  is  usually  de- 
scribed as  a  45-degree  twill,  and  it  is 
a  45-degree  twill  upon  a  weave  stand- 
ard, or  ev€n  in  cloth  when  the  same 
number  of  threads  and  picks  per  inch 
are  noted.  We  give  herewith  a  small 
sketch  which  will  explain  clearly  the 
reason  why  the  angle  of  the  twill  in 
the  cloth  is  not  the  angle  in  the  de- 
sign. This  cloth  contains  about  44 
picks  and  about  122  threads  per  inch. 
These  figures  may  vary  slightly  in 
other  portions  of  the  cloth,  but  the  fig- 
ures given  are  approximately  correct. 
It  will  thus  be  noted  that  the  ratio  be- 
tween the  warp  and  the  filling  is  2.78. 
That  is,  in  the  cloth  for  a  certain 
space  there  will  be  2.78  times  as  many 
threads  as  there  are  picks. 

BY  EXAMINING  THE  SKETCH 
the  result  obtained  should  be  clear.  In 
the  small  square,  which  we  have  made 


off  on  a  horizontal  line  the  ratio  which 
the  warp  is  to  the  filling  and  then  by 
drawing  a  line  through  the  point  ob- 
tained the  angle  of  the  twill  can  be 
closely  approximated.  You  will  note 
that  it  is  not  27  degrees,  but  rather 
that  it  is  about  20  degrees 

IN  THE  SAMPLE  SUBMITTED. 
If  ti.e  number  of  picks  per  inch  be  in- 
creased more  than  there  are  threads 
per  inch,  the  angle  of  the  twill  will  be- 
come more  nearly  horizontal,  and  this 
angle  can  be  obtained  in  a  similar 
manner  to  what  we  have  used  in  the 
illustration.  The  various  degrees  are 
marked  to  make  the  situation  clear. 
Some  manufacturers  designate  the 
angle  of  twills  similar  to  what  we 
have  used  on  the  illustration  submit- 
ted, while  others  use  a^x  opposite 
method.  That  is,  they  call  the  hori- 
zontal line  0  degrees  and  the  vertical 
line  90  degrees,  thus  making  a  twill 
such  as  you  have  submitted  about  a 


/ 


27-Degree  Twill. 


about  two  inches  each  way,  this  weave 
would  make  the  45-degree  twill  that 
we  have  drawn  if  there  were  122 
threads  and  also  122  picks  per  inch, 
or  in  fact  if  any  number  of  threads 
and  a  like  number  of  picks  were  used 
in  the  cloth.  Now  consider  what  hap- 
pens in  the  cloth  submitted.  For  ev- 
ery 122  warp  threads  it  will  require 
2.78  times  as  much  space  for  the  same 
number  of  picks.  In  other  words  the 
45-degree  weave  does  not  remain  any 
longer  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees,  but 
is  forced  much  nearer  a  vertical  po- 
sition. The  angle  of  any  weave  in  a 
fabric  can  be  obtained  very  easily  by 
the  method  which  we  illustrate.  Mark 


70-degree  twill  instead  of  a  20-degree 
twill. 

Do  not  confuse  the  degree  of  a 
weave  and  the  degree  of  a  twill  or 
weave  after  it  is  woven. 

THE  CLOTH  CONSTRUCTION 

always  has  an  influence  on  the  weave, 
and  every  change  in  construction  will 
produce  a  different  result.  A  few  ex- 
periments upon  the  loom  will  show 
this  more  clearly.  First  place  upon 
the  loom  a  pick  gear  which  will  give 
40  picks,  then  one  which  will  give  80 
picks,  then  another  which  will  give 
120  picks,  all  with  the  same  degree 
of  weave  or  twill  used.    The  de- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


39 


gree  of  the  woven  twills  will  all  vary  and  the  construction  of  the  cloth  be- 
according  to  the  degree  of  weave  used     ing  made. 


Textile  Cost  Finding. 


Cloth  is  sold  to  the  consumer  at 
prices  that  seldom  represent  actual 
intrinsic  value,  the  prices  being  deter- 
mined in  a  measure  according  to  the 
popularity  of  the  fabric.  Neverthe- 
less, the  actual  cost  to  make  any  par- 
ticular fabric  is  the  basis  on  which 
the  mxanufacturer  is  paid  for  the  work 
performed  and  the  stock  used  in  its 
construction. 

The  value  of  labor  in  mak- 
ing a  cloth  is  pretty  well  stand- 
ardized, and  the  value  of  the  stock  is 
closely  reported  in  the  market,  so 
that  with  this  information,  in  combi- 
nation with  a  reasonable  allowance  as 
profit  on  investment,  the  value  of  a 
given  fabric  may  be  easily  ascertain- 
ed without  severe  technical  training. 
It  should  be  clearly  understood  that 
when  speaking  of  cloth  the  author 
does  not  include  knit  goods,  only  the 
production  of  the  loom. 

All  cloth  bas  a  warp  and  a  filling. 
The  warp  threads  are  those  which  run 
lengthwise  in  the  cloth,  and  filling 
threads  are  those  crossing  the  warp 
threads  from  side  to  side  of  the  cloth. 
A  perfectly  balanced  cloth  contains 
the  same  number  of  threads  of  warp 
and  filling  to  the  square  inch,  of  yarns 
of  the  same  thickness,  and  on  exam- 
ining such  a  cloth,  it  will  be  found 
that  each  warp  and  filling  thread 
passes  over  and  under  each  other  al- 
ternately. 

As  each  thread  occupies  a  definite 
space,  the  number  of  threads  to  the 
inch  will  be  according  to  the  thick- 
ness of  the  yarn,  and  as  yarns  are 
spun  to  a  positive  thickness,  which  is 
designated  by  a  number,  this  number 
indicating  the  actual  length  of  yarn 
per  pound,  the  cloth  will  contain 
threads  according  to  the  number  or 
thickness  of  the  yarn. 

The  yarns  that  go  into  the  warp  or 
filling  are  spun  from  stock  capable  of 


being  spun  the  fineness  required,  and 
the  manufacturer  judiciously  selects 
his  stock  with  not  alone  the  fineness 
of  yarns  to  be  spun  in  his  mind,  but 
also  the  intrinsic  value  of  available 
and  suitable  stock. 

STOCK  USED 

in  making  cloth  is  divided  into  animal 
and  vegetable  fibres  of  various  kinds, 
classes  and  grades.  Value  of  stock  is 
determined  within  its  class  according 
to  its  spinning  possibilities,  the  finer 
it  will  spin  the  more  valuable  it  is. 
The  relative  value  of  classes  of  stock 
is  otherwise  determined;  for  instance, 
a  pound  of  fine  cotton  can  be  bought 
around  20  cents,  whereas  a  corre- 
sponding fine  grade  of  wool  could  not 
be  obtained  at  less  than  80  cents,  and 
yet  the  above  cotton  can  spin  84,000 
yards  per  pound,  while  the  above  fine 
grade  of  wool  could  not  spin  more 
than  33,600  yards  per  pound.  In  speak- 
ing of  standards  of  value,  it  is,  there- 
fore, necessary  to  keep  in  mind  that 
cloth  made  out  of  cotton  and  cloth 
made  out  of  wool  are  calculated  from 
different  basic  values. 

The  features  to  be  considered  in  es- 
timating the  value  of  a  fabric  are: 
The  stock  used,  the  cost  of  converting 
the  stock  into  yarn,  the  weaving  into 
cloth,  the  finish  which  the  cloth  re- 
ceives, the  expense  of  putting  it  on 
the  market  and  manufacturing  profits. 

The  first  factor,  stock  used,  varies 
as  to  first  cost  by  the  world's  laws  of 
supply  and  demand,  and  the  only  way 
to  properly  handle  stock  is  by  watch- 
ing the  variation  in  values  of  stock  in 
the  markets.  The  cost  of  converting 
stock  into  yarn  is  pretty  well  stand- 
ardized, so  much  so  that  the  market 
variation  for  yarns  is  produced  pri- 
marily by  the  variation  of  the  price 
of  stock  used. 

The  cost  of  weaving  is  determined 


40 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


by  various  factors:  First,  the  speed 
of  the  loom  the  fabric  may  be  woven 
at;  second,  the  number  of  looms  one 
weaver  can  run,  and  third,  the  av- 
erage wages  for  which  weavers  may 
be  employed.  These  different  fea- 
tures are  now  well  standardized,  and 
rules  of  value  established.  Finishing 
includes  dyeing,  and  it  also  is  well 
standardized  in  its  cost  for  material 
and  labor  in  the  process. 

Recognizing  these  standards  estab- 
lished, as  evidenced  by  the  uniform- 
ity of  prices  that  yarns,  for  instance, 
can  be  bought  anywhere,  we  have 
now  to  consider  the  value  of  a  fabric 
in  its  construction. 

The  written  language  of  tex- 
tile design  is  expressed  on 
what  is  called  point  paper.  This 
paper  is  lined  off  in  small  squares,  the 
number  of  squares  used  representing 
the  number  of  threads  in  a  pattern 
of  the  design.  All  warp  threads  which 
are  woven  on  the  face  of  the  cloth 
are  expressed  by  an  X,  and  the  filling 


Medium  15  to  16  Ounce  Crash. 


threads  which  are  woven  on  the  face 
of  the  cloth  by  an  empty  square. 
(These  rules  are  not  absolute,  but  the 
exceptions  will  be  mentioned  later.) 

By  referring  to  the  accompanying 
illustration  of  a  fabric  taken  from  our 
Woolen  Glossary,  an  understanding 
may  be  obtained  of  the  written  lan- 
guage of  textile  design. 


X 

X 

1. 

X 

X 

X 

X 

t 

X 

X 

/ 

t 

3 

Design. 

SECOND   GRADE   OF  CRASH. 
Made  of  medium   grade  of  wool,    15   to  16 

ounce  finished. 
1,080  ends,  18  picks;  reed  8 — 2 — 87 inches 
between  the   list;   6/4  finished. 


Warp:  1,080  ends,  1 1^  run  7  20/100  oz. 

Filling:   18  picks,   IVa   run  8  34/100  oii. 


15  55/100  oz. 

10%   shrinkage   1    55/100  oz. 


Equal  loom  weight   17.1  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Med.  AA'ool:  40c.  lb.  or  2i^c.  oz. 
Material:    17.1    oz.    +    10%  shrink- 
age  =    18.8  oz. 

18.8  oz.    @   2y2C  =  47c. 

Manulacturing:    18   picks  =    20. 3c. 


Mill    cost    67.3c. 


Woven  on  4-harness  straight  draw. 

The  second  sample  of  cloth  in  our 
Woolen  and  Worsted  Glossary  is  a 
well-balanced  cloth  of  twenty  threads 
of  warp  and  twenty  threads  of  filling 
in  one  inch  of  the  finished  fabric. 
The  designer's  point  paper  shows, 
reading  from  the  lower  left  hand  cor- 
ner, that  the  first  warp  thread  is  on 
the  face  once  and  on  the  back  once, 
and  so  on  in  this  order,  while  the  sec- 
ond thread  is  on  back  once  and  then 
on  face  once,  reversing  the  order  of 
weave.  This  makes  both  warp  and 
filling  threads  fit  together  firmly  in 
the  cloth,  but  if  the  yarn  was  not  of 
sufficient  thickness  in  either  warp  or 
filling,  the  cloth  would  not  feel  firm. 

By  referring  to 

THE  LAYOUT, 

it  will  be  found  that  the  designer  has 
described  the  kind  of  stock  wanted 
(medium  grade  of  wool)  and  the  num- 
ber of  ends  or  threads  (1,080)  in  the 
full  width  of  warp  and  the  number  of 
picks    or    filling    threads,    18,  oc- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


41 


cupying  one  inch  of  cloth.  To  under- 
stand the  calculations  it  is  necessary 
to  bear  in  mind  what  we  have  already 
stated — that  yarns  are  known  by  their 
number,  and  that  this  number  implies 
a  given  number  of  yards  to  the  pound. 

Further  on  in  the  above  layout  it 
will  be  noted  in  speaking  of  warp  it 
specifies  the  yarn  number  as  l^/^  runs. 
This  term  means  1,600  yards  of  yarn 
to  the  pound,  and  when  designated 
as  runs,  means  l^^   tires  1,600 

yards,  or  2,400  yards  divided  by  16 
ounces  gives  150  yards  per  ounce. 
Therefore,  1,080  yards  divided  by  150 
warp  yarn  to  the  yard  would  weigh 
7.2  ounces.  In  figuring  for  filling,  the 
full  width  of  671/^  inches  has  to  be  con- 
sidered plus  two  inches  for  selvage 
or  listing.  Filling  threads  are  usually 
designated  picks  and  67^/^  plus  2 
equals  69i/^,  multiplied  by  18  picks  will 
give  the  number  of  threads  per  yard 
(691^  times  18  equals  12,510).  This 
divided  by  l^^  runs  or  150  yards  per 
ounce  equals  8.34  ounces,  which, 
added  to  the  weight  of  warp,  7.2 
ounces,  equals  15.56  ounces.  In  weav- 
ing, the  bend  of  each  thread  as  it  is 
woven  in  has  to  be  considered,  and 
experience  has  proven  that  with  this 
cloth  10  per  cent  for  take-up  binder 
is  allowed.  Therefore,  the  weight  is 
further  increased  to  17.1  ounces. 

COST  FIGURES. 

In  figuring  cost,  the  price  of  stock 
used  per  pound  should  be  reduced  to 
the  price  per  ounce  to  correspond  with 
the  yarn  calculations  in  ounces.  Me- 
dium wool  is  figured  as  being  worth 
40  cents  per  pound,  divided  by  16 
equals  2.5  cents  per  ounce.  At  this 
point  the  percentage  of  loss  in  weight 
of  stock  all  through  the  manufacturing 
of  the  fabric  has  to  be  figured,  and  in 
this  fabric,  it  is  set  down  at  10  per 
cent;  therefore,  it  takes  18.8  ounces 
to  make  a  yard  of  cloth  weighing  15 
to  16  ounces,  and  will  cost  47  cents. 

In  figuring  the  cost  of  a  woolen 
fabric  in  Bennett's  Glossary,  the  man- 
ufacturing charges  are  based  on  the 
following  table.  This  table  was  origi- 
nated by  a  skilled  and  successful 
manufacturer.  It  is  not  only  based 
on  theoretical  conditions,  but  is  the 


outcome  of  a  close  scrutiny  of  all 
processes.  Before  adopted,  it  was 
subject  to  some  severe  tests,  and 
since  its  adoption  it  has  always  prov- 
en a  close  and  safe  basis  for  estimat- 
ing manufacturing  charges. 

Table  of  manufacturing  costs  for 
fancy  cassimeres  from  raw  stock,  or 
fancy  worsteds  from  grey  yarn: 


Picks. 

Cost  per  yd.  i 

Picks.   1  Cost  per 

16 

$  .196 

44 

$  .308 

18 

.203 

46 

.316 

20 

.21 

48 

.324 

22 

.218 

50 

.333 

24 

.226 

52 

.341 

26 

.234 

54 

.349 

28 

.242 

56 

.358 

30 

.25 

58 

.366 

32 

.259 

60 

.375 

34 

.267 

62 

.383 

36 

.275 

64 

.391 

38 

.283 

66 

.40 

40 

.291 

68 

.408 

42 

.30 

70 

.416 

Cost  per  yard  of  piece-dyed  wor- 
steds and  plain  2-loom  work: 


Picks. 

Cost  per  yd. 

Picks. 

Cost  per  yd. 

30 

$  .20 

46 

$  .244 

32 

.206 

48 

.25 

34 

.212 

50 

.255 

36 

.218 

52 

.259 

38 

.224 

54 

.263 

40 

.229 

56 

.267 

42 

.234 

58 

.271 

44 

.239 

60 

.275 

Cost  of  spinning  worsted  yarns  from 
tops : 

Single.  Two-ply. 


1/15   $  .09  $  .13 

1/16-1/19   10  .14 

1/20-1/23   11  .15 

1/24-1/27   12  .16 

1/28-1/31   13  .18 

1/32-1/35   14  .20 

1/36-1/40   17  .22^8 


A  table  is  found  in  the  Glossary  to 
determine  labor  cost.  Eighteen  picks 
will  equal  20.3  cents  labor  cost,  added 
to  the  cost  of  stock,  which  is  47  cents, 
equals  67.3  cents  mill  cost  per  yard. 

We  provide  another  illustration 
from  the  Glossary  of  Woolen  and 
Worsted  Fabrics  by  which  an 
enlarged  understanding  of  the  de- 
signer's methods  of  recording  his  de- 
signs may  be  obtained.  In  addition 
to  the  fabric  illustrated  there  are 
three  other  illustrations.  The  first  is 
called  a  full  draft,  and  gives  a  com- 
plete outline  of  the  design  in  a  man- 
ner fully  explained  above,  the  crosses 
showing  the  warp  yarns  as  they  ap- 
pear on  the  face  of  the  cloth.  The 
second  illustration  shows  it  reduced 
to  what  is  called  the  chain  draft. 


42 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


REDUCTION. 

It  will  not  be  amiss  at  this 
point      to      explain      the  method 


Medium-Weight  Cassimere,  14!/2-oz. 


pursued  in  reduction.  In  the 
first  place,  all  squares  running  up- 
ward represent  warp,  and  the  cross- 


X'     -)<x.     -XX      'XX      ->(X-  KX--XK 
x'-^X  -    •  ^  K  '    -  XX.   -  XX-      xx  -   -  XX- 
x    |xX-'XX.      XX     XX''*XX-  Xx-. 
^■,X  •  -  XX'   •  K  \  '  '  -  XX-XX'   -  XX'   -  x 
•X''-XX'-^X'XX-  XX.-'XX-'XX 

•x;xx-xx'''XX'    xx    xx-  xx' 

x  'lXkX  'XX  XX'  -  XX'  XX-'-XX'' 
X''X  'X^''  'XX'  ■  kK  ■  -  XX-XX'  ■  K 
■  k[  ■    .XX'XX'    'XX-      XX-       XX.    .   -  XX 

)<|-XX«'-XX'  .XX  -  -  XX  -xx  xx- 
X  \k  K  ■  X.  K  ■  -  XX-  XX  -  -  XX  -  -  XX''- 
X    ,X'   -  'XX  -   -  XX  -    -  X^X   •   -  XX'      xx  x 

X'     XX-    -  XX  -    'XX  -    'XX  -    -  XX  -   -  xX- 

Xi'  •  •  X  X  •  ■  x'x  '     X  X     •  X  X  ■  •  X  X  •  •  K  X 

X  'XX  X>C-  XX  -XX'  XX  .XX  .- 
X  ',  X  -  '  'XX  -  •  XX  •  •  XX-  XX  -  'XX.  K 
•X,--XX  XX-  -XX  'XX-.XX...XX 
•X'     AX'   ''XX       -XX  -    •   XX  -   -  XX'XX, 

x-!kx--xx-xX'-xx  -  -  xx'-'XX'- 
X''X-  -  xx-'-xX.   -  XX  -  -  XX     XX  -  -  x 
xj.      XX  -   'XX-XX'      XX*   ..XX  -   -  XX 

x;  xX'  XX  -  .'XX  •  XX  .Kx  -  -  x^- 
x-Ixx-  'XX-  -  xx-xx*  -  -XX  -  -  XX  -  • 
x-;x  -  -  XX  -  -  XX.  '  'XX  XX  -xx  -x 
/  X,  /  3  Z  1^  /       ^  / ^  »-  &  /  f  ii     /  //  -ir^/  ^i^/if^ 


Full  Draft. 


ings,  filling.  To  reduce  a  full  draft 
the  designer  begins  at  the  first  warp 
thread  and  gives  it  Number  1,  and 
the  following  threads,  when  the  ar- 
rangement of  squares  is  the  same, 
get  the  same  number.    In  this  case, 


X  •  X 

•  X 

X 

•  X  •  X 

•  X 

^'^ 

X  X  • 

X  • 

X 

X'X* 

X  • 

JJ 

X 

•  X  • 

X  • 

X  X 

•  X  • 

X  • 

•    •  X 

•  X 

• 

X  X  •  X 

'  X 

z/ 

* 

X  •  X 

•  X 

X 

• 

X  .   '  X 

•  X 

X  X  ' 

X  ' 

X 

•  X  X  • 

X  • 

X 

•  X  • 

X  X 

• 

X 

•  X  •  • 

X  * 

X 

•    *  X 

• 

X 

K  •  X  X 

'  X 

// 

• 

X  •  X 

X  • 

X 

• 

X  •  X  • 

'  X 

X  X  • 

•  X 

X 

•  K  •  X 

X  • 

X 

•  XX 

•  X 

X 

•X'X 

♦  * 

/(^ 

X 

•    •  • 

X  • 

X 

X  •  X  • 

X  X 

X  X  • 

X  • 

X 

X  •  X  • 

X  • 

X  •  X 

•  X 

X 

V  X  X 

•  X 

X 

'  X  X 

'  X 

X 

•X'X 

X 

X  • 

X 

X  •  X  • 

X  X 

/ 

X  •  X 

X  • 

X 

X  •  X  • 

•  X 

X  K  • 

•  X 

X 

'X'X 

X  • 

X 

•  .X  • 

X  X 

X 

•  X  '  • 

X  • 

X 

•  •  X 

X 

X  '  X  K 

X 

r 

X  •  X 

'  X 

X 

X  •  •  X 

•  X 

X  X  • 

X  • 

X 

•  X  X  • 

X  • 

J" 

X 

•  X  • 

X  • 

X 

X 

•  '  X  ' 

X  • 

K 

•  •  X 

•  X 

X  X  *  X 

'  X 

/ 

r  // 

/ 

Chain  Draft. 


the  second  thread  is  different,  as  the 
crosses  or  risers  are  differently  ar- 
ranged, that  is,  the  warp  threads  are 
appearing  at  different  points  from 
those  of  the  first  thread.  This  second 
thread  is  Number  2.  The  third  thread 
is  the  same  as  the  first,  and  is  num- 
bered 1.  On  reaching  a  thread  of  a 
different  arrangement  from  those  pre- 
ceding, another  new  number  is  given, 
all  repeats  being  marked  by  the  num- 
ber of  the  first  thread  so  arranged. 
THE  CHAIN  DRAFT. 
When  this  is  completed  the  repeats 
are  all  eliminated  and  this  provides  a 
chain  draft  as  per  third  illustration, 
but  the  above  work  would  not  give 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


43 


the  desired  results  unless  provisions 
were  made  to  take  care  of  the  warp 
threads  eliminated. 

By  referring  to  the  fourth  illustra- 
tion, called  the  dra wing-in  draft,  it  will 
thus  be  found  that  the  threads  thrown 
out  have  been  provided  for,  and  that 
by  drawing  in  repeat  threads  on  the 
same  harness  each  thread  will  rise 


_ 

/J 

a 

// 

'  /O 

9 

/ 

J 

A 

J 

Z        Z  Z  Z'  Z  Z  ^' 

/    /  /         /         /         /  L  


Drawing-in  Draft. 

and  fall  as  per  full  design.  This  fea- 
ture adds  but  little  to  the  expense  in 
manufacturing  a  piece  of  cloth,  and 
but  little  consideration  in  costing. 

The  above  explanation  bearing  on 
two  of  our  woolen  and  worsted  glos- 
sary fabrics  is  applicable  to  all  the 
fabrics,  as  the  same  rule  governs  the 
cost  in  all  cases,  but  in  some  in- 
stances additional  features  must  be 
filling  is  added  by  a  method  of  stitch- 
ing. 

FABRICS. 

There  are  practically  but  four  dis- 
tinct classes  of  fabrics,  namely:  1. 
Single  fabrics  in  all  their  modifica- 
tion in  interlacing. 

2.  Backed  and  double  fabrics  in 
which  an  addition  is  put  on  the  back 
of  the  single  fabric  either  by  extra 
warp,  extra  filling;  or  a  complete 
cloth,  consisting  of  both  warp  and 
considered. 

3.  Gauze  or  open  weave  in  which 
the  threads  of  warp  and  filling  are  not 
in  close  weave  together. 

4.  Pile*  fabrics  in  which  loops  or 
tufts  are  pulled  up  out  of  the  ground 
fabric,  producing  what  is  known  as 
warp  piles  or  fabrics  in  which  the 
weft  to  a  filling  is  cut  to  form  a  pile, 
?is  in  the  case  of  velveteens. 


Two  particulars  respecting  the 
yarns  of  which  fabrics  are  built  should 
be  considered,  the  length  per  pound 
of  the  yarn  used  and  its  diameter. 
As  we  have  stated  before,  the  length 
per  pound  determines  a  yarn's  num- 
ber, and  there  are  three  principal 
classes  or  series  of  numbers  which 
are  used  to  designate  respectively 
woolen,  worsted  and  cotton.  The 
woolen  series  is  based  on  1,600  yards 
of  yarn  per  pound  to  the  number; 
therefore,  a  pound  of  one-run  yarn 
will  measure  1,600  yards,  and  all 
other  runs  are  proportionate.  For  in- 
stance, five-run  yarn  will  be  five  times 
1,600,  which  equals  8,030  yards 
per  pound.  Instead  of  1,600  y^rds,  560 
yards  is  the  worsted  yardage  per 
pound  to  the  Number  1  worsted,  and 
840  yards  to  the  Number  1  cotton,  and 
all  calculations  for  weight  are  based 
on  these  standards. 

Diameters  refer  to  the  thickness  of 
the  yarn,  and  are  determined  by  the 
threads  that  will  rest  side  by 
side  in  one  inch,  and  are  ob- 
tained from  the  square  root  of 
the  yards  to  the  number,  with  a  dis- 
count of  16  per  cent  for  woolen,  14 
per  cent  for  coarse  worsteds,  10  per 
cent  for  fine  worsteds  and  8  per  cent 
for  cotton  yarns.  Recognizing  the  fac- 
tors that  will  determine  the  value  of 
the  fabric  and  the  established  stand- 
ards governing  these  factors,  the  con- 
ditions under  which  a  salesman  may 
determine  the  value  of  a  fabric  are 
comparatively  simple. 

On  making  an  analysis  of  a  given 
fabric  to  ascertain  its  value,  the  first 
step  is  to  take  one  or  more  square 
inches  of  cloth,  more,  if  possible,  and 
weigh  on  grain  scales.  Place  this  cloth 
in  a  high  temperature  to  make  it  bone 
dry,  weigh  again  and  credit  the  varia- 
tion to  the  presence  of  moisture. 
After  keeping  the  cloth  in  a  normal 
temperature  long  enough  to  receive 
normal  moisture,  take  this  fabric 
apart,  one  thread  at  a  time,  keeping 
the  warp  threads  separate  from  the 
filling,  and  carefully  count  each 
thread,  weigh  the  warp  and  the  fill- 
ing threads  separately,  making  a  note 
of  the  weight  and  the  number  of 
thread^t 


44 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Assuming  that  the  above  cloth  is 
one  inch  square,  by  multiplying  the 
warp  threads  by  the  width  in  inches 
the  yardage  of  warp  yarn  to  a  yard 
of  cloth  will  be  ascertained.  The 
threads  in  the  filling  multiplied  by  the 
width  will  give  the  yards  of  filling 
yarn  contained  in  a  yard  of  cloth.  By 
multiplying  the  width  inches  with  the 
yard  inches  and  the  sum  of  the  above 
by  grains  weight  of  warp  and  grains 
weight  of  filling  the  aggregate  yards 
of  warp  yarn  and  of  filling  yarn  con- 
tained in  one  yard  of  this  cloth  will 
be  obtained  and  their  weight  in 
grains. 

As  an  illustration,  suppose  the 
square  inch  of  cloth  weighed  two 
grains  of  warp  and  two  grains  of  filling, 
and  that  the  cloth  was  54  inches 
wide,  the  width  multiplied  by  the 
yard  inches,  54  by  36  inches,  equals 
1,944  square  inches.  This  sum  multi- 
plied by  two  grains  would  equal  3,- 
888  grains  or  8.88  ounces  per  yard  of 
cloth.  And  suppose  there  were  40 
threads  of  warp  per  inch  of  cloth  and 
40  threads  per  inch  of  filling.  The 
width,  54  inches,  multiplied  by  40 
would  give  a  total  of  2,160  threads 
of  warp  and  the  equivalent  in  filling. 
By  dividing  the  2,160  threads  of  warp 
by  weight  in  ounces,  8.88,  would  give 
243,  which  is  the  yards  per  ounce,  and 
this  multiplied  by  16  equals  3,- 
888  yards  per  pound.  Dividing  this 
sum  by  the  yarn  number  of  either 
worsted,  woolen  or  cotton  denomina- 
tion, the  yarn  count  can  be  ascertain- 
ed as  follows:  3,888  divided  by  worsted 
count  560,  number  6.94;  3,888  divided 
by  cotton  count,  840,  number  4.62;  3,- 
888  divided  by  woolen  run,  1,600 
yards,  the  size  of  the  yarn  in  woolen 
runs  would  be  2.43. 

On  the  basis  of  the  above,  the  value 
of  labor  required  to  make  the  cloth 
may  be  ascertained,  but  the  stock  used 
has  not  been  determined.  Whether 
woolen,  worsted  or  cotton,  the  wiry 
feel  of  cotton  is  easily  distinguished 
from  worsted  and  woolen  goods,  but 
the  two  latter  classes  are  only  differ- 
ent so  far  as  the  process  of  making 
the  wool  stock  into  yarn  is  concerned 
and  the  particular  suitableness  of 
stock  wanted.    For  instance,  worsted 


yarns  can  be  made  best  from  wool  of 
long  fibre,  whereas  woolen  yarns  are 
made  from  short  wool. 

DIFFICULTIES  IN  COST  FINDING. 

One  of  the  most  intricate  problems 
in  determining  the  cost  of  a  woolen 
fabric  is  the  question  as  to  the  stock 
used  in  its  production.  No  system  of 
cost  finding,  however  elaborate  it  may 
be,  will  be  of  material  assistance  in 
this  direction.  The  use  of  chemical 
tests  and  the  microscope  will  assist 
somewhat,  but  even  when  used  by  an 
expert  will  not  give 

EXACT  RESULTS. 

The  only  means  of  arriving  at  a  prac- 
tical working  basis  is  to  examine  the 
fabric,  dissect  it  carefully,  and  from  the 
appearance  of  the  threads,  with  knowl- 
edge of  the  strength  required  to  make 
work  that  will  run  well  in  the  mill,  the 
competent  superintendent  will  be  able 
to  duplicate  any  cloth.  The  ability  to 
do  this  cannot  be  gained  from  text 
books,  but  is  the  result  of  years  of 
training  in  the  various  mill  processes, 
and  an  intimate  study  of  the  various 
textile  fibres.  Only  in  this  way  can 
one  hope  to  acquire  the  knowledge 
necessary  to  blend  the  stocks  to  the 
best  advantage,  and  produce  results 
that  shall  prove  profitable  to  the  mill. 
Estimating  the  cost  of  worsted  cloth 
is  much  more  simple,  as  the  oppor- 
tunities for  manipulation  are  lacking. 
An  examination  of  the  yarns  will  read- 
ily enable  one  accustomed  to  handling 
them  to  determine  the  size  and  grade, 
and  the  price  may  be  found  in  the  col- 
umns of  the  American  Wool  and 
Cotton  Reporter  each  week.  The 
method  used  in  determining  the  cloth  ^ 
costs  will  be  readily  understood  by  a 
perusal  of  the  analyses  of  the  various 
worsted  fabrics  contained  in  this 
glossary. 

WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  CLOTHS. 

The  shorter  and  finer  a  wool  is  just 
so  much  easier  and  better  it  felts. 
This  is  an  essential  feature  in  finish- 
ing woolen  goods,  and  woolen  cloth 
in  general  is  at  its  best  when  finished 
with  a  nap,  and  worsted  with  a  close 
finish.   Putting  it  in  another  way,  fab- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


45 


rics  that  do  not  want  to  show  a  weave 
effect  in  the  design  are  best  made  by 
the  woolen  system,  but  where  a  clear- 
ly defined  weave  is  desired  the  design 
should  be  made  of  worsted  yarns  and 
cut  close  by  the  finishing  shears. 

The  line  of  demarcation  between 
woolen  and  worsted  cloths  is  further 
accentuated  in  their  weight.  Woolen 
fabrics  are  at  a  disadvantage  when 
they  are  made  lighter  than  12  ounces 
to  a  54-inch  width,  but  when  over  16 
ounces  they  are  intrinsically  better 
than  worsted  goods.  On  the  other 
hand,  worsted  yarns  made  from  wool 
of  a  proper  length  of  fibre  can  be  used 
in  the  making  of  the  lightest  and  fin- 
est fabrics. 

When  woolen  yarns  are  spun  from 
carded  stock  the  fibres  are  brought 
together  at  all  angles,  and  although 
producing  a  lofty,  soft-feeling 
thread,  they  do  not  attain 
the  strength  or  finish  of  a 
worsted  thread,  whereas  the  process 
of  spinning  worsted  produces  a  thread 
made  of  fibres  all  laying  parallel,  the 
short  fibres  being  removed  in  the 
combing  process.  The  preparing  of 
stock,  carding,  combing,  drawing  and 
spinning  of  worsted  yarns  costs  more 
than  the  process  of  spinning  and  card- 
ing of  woolen  yarns. 

A  very 

SIMPLE  WAY  OF  ESTIMATING 

the  cost  of  a  fabric,  and  a  fairly  accu- 
rate one,  is  to  recognize  values  in  a 
hundred  units,  61  of  which  are  credit- 
ed to  the  value  of  raw  material,  15  to 
weaving  cost  and  24  to  the  cost  of 
yarn-making  processes.  If  the  actual 
cost  of  either  of  the  above  items  is 
known,  the  other  costs  may  then  be 
computed  on  the  basis  of  the  known 
quantity.  For  instance,  the  wool  stock 
used  costs  61  cents,  and  the  other 
items  in  combination  will  figure  39 
cents,  plus  61  cents,  which 
equals  $1.  If  the  yarn  is 
bought  at  87  cents  per  pound, 
the  aggregate  price  would  be  the 
same.  These  units  of  value  can  be 
obtained  by  referring  to  our  current 
quotations  of  the  wool  and  yarn  mar- 
ket in  the  American  Wool  and  Cotton 
Reporter.   The  weaving  costs  are  sus- 


ceptible to  a  variation.  All  plain  and 
lone-colored  fabrics  of  simple  design 
are  woven  on  two  or  more  looms,  and 
the  above  weaving  units  of  value  are 
based  on  what  is  called  one-loom 
work.  The  two  or  more  loom  work 
would  divide  the  cost,  if  two-loom 
work,  by  two;  therefore,  15  units 
would  then  become  7i/^  units,  the  yarn 
cost  remaining  24  units  and  the  stock 
61  units. 

To  make  the  above  clear, 
if  we  will  take  a  12-ounce  fabric 
in  w^hich  the  yarn  used  is 
2-40  -worsted,  costing  $1.05  per 
pound,  the  material  being  12  ounces 
in  weight,  or  three-quarters  of  a 
pound,  the  price  for  yarns  will  be 
78.75  cents.  This  price  includes 
the  stock  and  would  represent 
85  units,  which  figure  should  be  used 
on  the  value  they  represent.  78.75 
cents  divided  by  85  equals  9.27  cents 
times  15  units  for  weaving  one-loom 
work  equals  13.90  cents,  added  to  78.75 
cents  equals  92.65  cents,  but  if  two- 
loom  work,  add  one-half  only  of  weav- 
ing cost,  6.95  cents,  which  equals  85.70 
cents,  the  price  of  the  fabric.  Al- 
lowance must  always  be  made  for 
wastes  in  the  process,  and  it  must 
also  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  manu- 
facturer expects  a  profit  of  about  10 
per  cent,  which,  if  added,  equals  94.27 
cents. 

As  we  have  indicated  above,  the 
value  of  fabrics  varies  according  to 
the  value  of  stock.  In  the  manufac- 
ture of  woolen  goods  as  distinct  from 
worsted  goods,  there  is  greater  lati- 
tude in  the  selection  of  stock  for  the 
former  than  the  latter.  This  is  be- 
cause the  woolen  process  of  making 
yarn  permits  the  blending  of  all 
kinds  of  stock  and  also  the  use  of 
substitutes,  whereas  the  worsted  sys- 
tem requires  the  use  of  wool  approx- 
imately uniform  in  length  of  fibre;  in 
fact,  the  worsted  yarn-making  process 
involves  the  combing  out  of  all  short 
fibres  from  the  stock  before  it  be- 
comes yarn.  These  short  fibres  are 
called  noils  and  are  used  extensively 
by  woolen  mills  in  making  woolen 
cloth. 

Generally  speaking,  wools  come  un- 
der  three   classifications:     Low,  fine 


46 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


and  medium.  The  comparative  value 
of  these  wools,  taking  the  market  quo- 
tations of  to-day,  are:  Low,  40  cents; 
medium,  50  cents,  and  fine  60  cents. 
These  prices  are  for  wools  on  what  is 
called  the  scoured  basis,  that  is,  the 
wool  is  cleansed  of  all  undesirable 
matter.  The  above  prices  are  for 
both  long  and  short  fibre  wools,  which 
are  known  to  the  trade  as  combing  and 
clothing  wools.  Prices  obtained  in 
the  wool  market  generally  favor  comb- 
ed wools,  but  the  above  ratio  of  the 
three  values  will  generally  run  about 
the  same. 

Not  only  does  the  manufacturer  of 
woolens  avail  himself  of  the  noils 
from  the  worsted  mills,  but  he  also 
uses  mill  wastes,  straight  cotton  and 
cotton  wastes,  shoddy  made  from 
tailors*  clips  and  shoddy  made  from 
rags.  Considerable  skill  is  needed  in 
manipulating  the  various  kinds  of 
wool  stock  and  substitutes,  the  grades 
of  substitutes  varying  as  many  times 
as  straight  wool. 

CHEAP  CLOTHING. 

In  one  section  of  England  the  abil- 
ity to  make  cloth  from  low  rag  stock 
exceeds  all  others  the  world  over. 
Most  of  the  fabrics  woven  are  made 
with  cotton  warps  and  are  sold  at 
very  low  prices.  A  similar  fabric 
is  made  in  this  country  and  is  called 
satinette.  This  may  be  considered 
the  lowest  grade  of  men's  wear  cloth- 
ing. In  weaving,  the  warp  yarns  are 
woven  in  under  a  strain.  On  the  con- 
trary, filling  when  woven  in  only  re- 
quires to  carry  its  own  weight,  and 
for  these  reasons,  the  lowest  class 
of  fabrics  mentioned  above  contain 
a  warp  of  strong  cotton  yarn  filled 
with  heavy  filling  made  of  stock  of 
the  shortest  fibres. 

NAPPED  GOODS. 

One  important  quality  required  in 
stock  for  woolen  goods  is  its  felting 
properties.  This  quality  enables  the 
manufacturer  after  weaving  to  shrink 
his  goods  in  the  finishing  process  and 
to  raise  a  heavy  nap,  the  cloth  still 
retaining  a  firm  feel.  This  finish  is 
peculiar  to  overcoating  fabric  and 
cannot  be  obtained  to  advantage  by 


the  use  of  worsted  yarns,  and  nap- 
ped overcoatings  are  invariably  made 
out  of  w^oolen  yarns.  This  brings  us 
to  the  consideration  of  substitutes 
and  adulteration,  as  a  great  many  of 
these  overcoating  fabrics  contain  a 
blending  of  wool  and  substitutes.  So 
far  as  these  fabrics  are  concerned, 
cotton  or  its  wastes  are  not  suitable, 
as  cotton  has  no  felting  properties. 
Sometimes  cotton  yarn  is  used  in  the 
warp  to  bind  the  stock  of  both  warp 
and  filling  of  a  low,  heavy  quality,  but 
as  the  amount  of  cotton  used  under 
such  conditions  is  relatively  small,  it 
neither  helps  nor  impedes  the  felting 
required. 

ADULTERATION. 

In  making  fabrics  to  cost  less  than 
what  can  be  made  from  the  cheapest 
clothing  wool,  the  manufacturer  re- 
sorts to  substitutes.  These  substi- 
tutes are  traded  on  the  market  the 
same  as  wool,  and  quotations  as  to 
current  prices  are  found  in  the  Ameri- 
can Wool  and  Cotton  Reporter  in  each 
issue  under  a  general  classification, 
**Rags,  Shoddies,  Wastes  &  Extracts," 
and  other  various  departments.  Under 
the  section,  "New  Clips,"  will  be  found 
a  list  of  different  grades  of  tailors' 
clips.  This  stock  is  all  new  and  of 
various  grades. 

Old  stock  comprises  a  classification 
of  rags  picked  up  all  over  the  country 
by  dealers.  Flannels,  knit  goods, 
serge,  merino,  skirted  cloth,  delaines 
and  carpet,  all  these  grades  of  both 
clips  and  old  stock  are  broken  up  by 
cards,  pickers  or  garnetts,  and  the  best 
of  this  stock,  which  is  called  shoddy, 
is  used  by  the  mills  in  manufacturing 
cloth  and  the  balance  in  the  making 
of  mattresses.  The  wastes  of  the 
mills  are  also  on  the  market.  Woolen 
wastes  are  under  two  general  classifi- 
cations, hard  and  soft.  The  former 
has  to  be  broken  up  before  be- 
ing utilized  in  the  making  of 
yarn.  Soft  wastes  are  used  just  as 
found  on  the  market,  and  cotton 
wastes  are  taken  both  by  the  woolen 
and  cotton  mills.  By  comparing  val- 
ues, it  may  readily  be  seen  how  stock 
going  into  a  fabric  may  be  cheapened. 

As  wool  substitutes    are    used  in 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


47 


their  classification  of  fine,  medium  and 
low,  their  uses  are  also  limited  by 
their  various  shades  and  colors. 
When  manufacturing  goods  which  run 
to  light  shades,  light  stock  only  can 
be  used,  and  some  of  the  latter  is 
difficult  to  use  under  any  circum- 
stances. Goods  running  to  dark  shades, 
on  the  other  hand,  can  be  made  with 
a  blend  of  wool  substitutes  of  practi- 
cally any  shade.  This  indicates  that 
dark  wool  cloths  are  more  likely  to 
contain  shoddy  than  light  cloth,  and 
to  a  certain  extent,  explains  why 
heavy  clothing  runs  to  dark  shades, 
as  the  manufacturer  can  make  his 
yarn  w^ith  a  greater  percentage  of 
shoddy,  as  it  is  necessarily  thicker 
for  heavy-weight  goods.  When  making 
light  shades  and  light-weight  goods, 
manufacturers  very  generally  resort 
to  cotton  which  will  not  only  spin  to  a 
fine  thread  but  will  color  to  the  light- 
est, shades. 

NOT  DETRIMENTAL  TO  UTILITY. 

A  reasonable  amount  of  cotton  used 
in  the  stock  of  a  woolen  fabric  is  not 
detrimental  to  its  utility,  nor  is  there 
any  serious  objection  to  the  presence 
of  shoddy  in  woolen  cloth.  To  speak 
of  shoddy,  because  it  is  made  out  of 
old  rags,  as  being  unsanitary  is  ab- 
surd, as  shoddy  in  its  preparation  goes 
through  a  strong  sulphuric  acid  bath 
and  is  dried  in  an  oven  of  220  degrees 
Fahrenheit,  which  will  absolutely  de- 


stroy all  germs.  The  only  real  objec- 
tion to  the  presence  of  cotton  or  shod- 
dy in  a  fabric  is  the  difficulty  of  de- 
termining the  presence  and  their  pos- 
sible excessive  use,  and  although  the 
presence  of  either  cotton  or  shoddy 
is  not  detrimental  to  the  fabric,  wool 
which  they  are  there  to  replace  is  of 
better  value. 

BOILING  OUT. 

To  determine  the  presence  and  pro- 
portion of  cotton  in  a  woolen  fabric, 
take  two  or  three  square  inches  of 
cloth,  dry  it  bone  dry  and  weigh;  then 
soak  it  in  a  5  to  7  S.G.  Baum^  solu- 
tion of  sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol), 
removing  as  much  of  the  soak  as  pos- 
sible by  using  squeeze  rolls  (do  not 
touch  with  fingers),  dry  and  then 
bake  in  an  oven  at  a  temperature  of 
220  degrees  Fahrenheit  for  half  an 
hour,  shake  out  all  the  residue  and 
again  weigh.  If  the  first  weighing 
was  three  grains  and  the  second  only 
2  grains,  the  sulphuric  acid  has  de- 
stroyed the  cotton,  which  showed  its 
presence  to  the  extent  of  one  grain 
out  of  three,  or  33  per  cent.  The  only 
practical  test  to  ascertain  the  pres- 
ence of  shoddy  is  the  unwinding  of 
a  thread  and  noting  the  length  of  fi- 
bre. By  the  use  of  a  microscope  it 
may  be  found  that  the  scales  or  serra- 
tions peculiar  to  woolen  fibre  are  rub- 
bed off,  but  this  is  not  an  easy  way 
of  testing. 


Russian  Novelty  Blanket 


The  illustration,  though  giving  an 
idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  auto 
robe  here  described,  fails  to  con- 
vey to  the  mind  of  the  observer 
the  beauty  of  the  fabric.  Both 
face  and  back  are  covered  with  a  long, 
silky  nap,  which  adds  materially  to 
the  effect.  It  is  adaptable  to  a  variety 
of  uses  and  may  be  made  in  a  wide 
range  of  styles  and  colorings.  The 
sample  shown  has  wide  bars  of  color 
running  transversely,  the  alternate 
stripes  of  olive,  white  and  light  brown 
combining  to  give  it  a  beauty  that 


cannot  well  be  described  and  really 
must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated.  De- 
signing on  this  particular  type  of  fab- 
ric is  confined  almost  entirely  to  effec- 
tive 

COLOR  COMBINATIONS, 
as  weave  changes  would  not  be  no- 
ticeable under  the  full,  thick  nap. 
Mills  equipped  with  jacqurrds  might 
turn  their  attention  to  fabrics  con- 
structed along  similar  lines  and  should 
produce  styles  that  would  meet  with 
a  ready  sale  and  earn  extremely  sat- 
isfactory dividends  for  the  stockhold- 


48 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ers,  as  the  price  of  a  robe  at  whole- 
sale, $11.50  to  $16,  is  several  times  the 
cost  of  material  and  manufacturing 

The  great  disparity  between  cost 
and  selling  price  is  an  ad- 
ditional proof  of  our  contention  that 
price  in  many  instances  is  not  based 
on  intrinsic  value,  but  is  simply  a 
question  as  to  how  much  can  be  ob- 
tained.   This  is  particularly  true  of 


Russian  Blanket. 


the  many  novelty  fabrics  brought  out 
from  time  to  time,  and  is  justified  to 
a  certain  extent  on  many  of  the  cloths 
that  are  dependent  on  the  whims  of 
fashion  for  their  popularity. 

The  fabric  is  one  that  might 
well   be  made  by  any  of    our  do- 


mestic woolen  mills,  as  no  special 
machinery  is  required  in  its  manufac- 
ture. 

The  rapidly  increasing  use  of  the 
automobile  has  created  a  market  for 
robes  that  is  expanding  by  leaps  and 
bounds.  That  greater  cognizance  is  not 
taken  of  the  opportunities  offered  our 
textile  mills  in  this  field  is  a  matter 
of  no  little  surprise.  Possibly  the  fear 
that  a  change  in  the  character  of  the 
demand  would  find  them  with  stocks 
on  their  hands  that  would  with  diffi- 
culty be  moved,  has  deterred  some  of 
our  mills  from  attempting  to  cater  to 
this  trade.  That  extreme  novelties  are 
very  poor  property  when  the  vogue  for 
them  is  at  an  end  is  very  true,  but  it 
hardly  seems  possible  that  a  change  in 
the  style  of  robes  would  be  so  radical 
as  to  depreciate  the  price  to  a  point 
where  any  considerable  loss  would  be 
incurred.  Then,  too,  the  price  of  nov- 
elties is  invariably  figured  on  a  basis 
that  allows  of  a  material  drop  in  price 
at  the  end  of  the  season,  if  necessary, 
to  dispose  of  the  small  quantity  in 
stock. 

The  fabrication  requires  a  good 
KNOWLEDGE  OF  STOCKS, 
as  on  the  stock  mixture  used  the  suc- 
cess of  the  fabric  depends  entirely.  A 
feature  that  is  somewhat  out  of  the 
ordinary  in  the  construction  of  wool- 
en fabrics  is  the  extreme  dis- 
parity in  weight  of  the  warp  and 
filling.  It  is  not  at  all  uncom- 
mon to  find  a  fabric  in  which  the 
warp  or  filling  predominates,  but  the 
extreme  difference  noted  here  is 
rather  unusual.  The  face  texture  is 
low,  but  the  production  will  be  lower 
than  this  fact  would  seem  to  indicate, 
as  the  back  of  the  fabric  is  produced 
with  a  separate  filling,  though  iden- 
tical in  color  and  stock  mixture  with 
that  used  for  the  face.  The  warp  has 
32  ends  per  inch  of  a  three-run  ran- 
dom mix,  made  from  a  three-eighths 
wool  and  shoddy.  The  filling  is  made 
from  mohair  noils,  spun  to  three- 
quarters  run.    The  most 

DIFFICULT  FEATURE 
connected  with  the  manufacture  of 
this  fabric  is  the  production  of  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


49 


filling  yarns.  As  the  stock  used  is 
rather  short  and  slippery,  it  will  re- 
quire cooperation  between  the  carder 
and  spinner  to  secure  good  results. 
The  roving  must  be  made  relatively 
fne,  as  the  nature  of  the  stock  will 
permit  of  but  little  drawing  on  the 
mule. 

With  filling  as  coarse  as  is  required 
to  give  a  fabric  of  the  desired  weight, 
a  copping  machine  is  almost  a  neces- 
sity, as  otherwise  the  looms  will  be 
stopped  a  great  deal  of  the  time  for 
shuttle  changing,  which  may  be  obvi- 
ated to  a  considerable  extent  by  means 
of  the  slight  additional  expense  in- 
volved in  the  copping.  The  finished 
width  of  the  robe  is  60  inches,  which 
will  necessitate  laying  the  warp  about 
77  inches  in  the  loom,  and  the  great 
weight  and  bulk  of  the  fabric  will  re- 
quire taking  the  pieces  off  about  36i^ 
yards  long,  which  should  give  18  fin- 
ished robes  to  each  piece.  The  goods 
are  fulled  in  the  grease,  well  scoured, 
extracted  and  placed  on  the  napper. 
When  the  nap  has  been  well  raised 
place  on  the  wet  brush,  give  two  or 
three  runs  and  steam  blow  them,  af- 
terward forcing  cold  water  through 
them,  change  ends  and  repeat  the 
steam  and  cold  water  treatment.  Dry, 
shear  off  the  long  hair,  brush  and  cut 
for  binding. 


□□□□□•un 


8  harness,  straight  draw, 
LAYOUT. 

1,920  ends,  121/2  reed,  2  per  dent  =  76.8''. 
48  picks. 

STOCK  MIXTURE. 


Warp: 

15%    %   wool    @   48c  =  36c. 

25%  med.  shoddy  @  16c  =  4c. 

16)  40c. 

Per  ounce    2\^c. 

Filling: 

Mohair  noils  @  18c.  per  lb.  =  l%c.  per  oz. 

CALCULATIONS. 

1,920  ends  3  run   =    6.40  oz. 

10%    talce-up   =     .64  oz. 

76.8X48 

48  picks  %  run  =    =  49.15  oz. 

75   

Loom  weight    56.19  oz. 

Finish  6  lbs.  per  blanket,  72"  x  60". 

COST. 

7.04  oz.  +  15%  shrinkage  =    8.28  oz. 

49.15  oz.   +   20%  shrinkage  =  60.14  oz. 

8.28  oz.   @   21/20  =  $  .207 

60.14  oz.   @   li/gc  =  .677 

Cost  of  stock   $  .884 

Manufacturing,   48  picks  =  .324 

Net  cost  per  yard    $1,208 


Double  Cloth  Mackinaw 


The  derivation  of  the  name  Macki- 
naw, as  applied  to  the  material  for 
outer  garments  so  popular  at  present, 
is  explained  in  a  variety  of  ways. 
One  of  the  most  plausible  is,  that  it 
comes  from  the  common  abbreviation 
of  Mackinac,  the  name  of  an 
island  in  the  strait  connecting  Lakes 
Michigan  and  Huron.  The  name  was 
formerly  used  chiefly  on  the  upper 
Great  Lakes  and  owes  its  origin  to 
the  fact  that  Fort  Mackinaw  was  for 
many  years  the  most  remote  post  in 
the  Northwest,  and  from  this  point  a 
large  number  of  Indians  received  their 
supplies,   and    the    term  Mackinaw 


blanket  was  coined  to  distinguish 
those  furnished  by  the  Government 
Garments  made  from  this  type  of 
fabrics  were  frequently  called  blan- 
ket coats,  but  of  late  the  name  Macki- 
naw has  superseded  all  others.  The 
fabrics  were  originally  all  single 
cloths,  well  felted  and  practically  re- 
pellent, but  at  present  many  are  made 
in  cloths  of  double  construction  and 
are  not  felted  to  any  extent.  The 
characteristic  of  the  cloth  is  the  bold 
design  in  strongly  contrasting  colors. 

The  manufacture  of  these  fabrics 
has  been  the  means  of  keeping  many 
looms  employed  that  otherwise  would 


50 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


have  been  idle  for  the  past  year  or 
more.  Coats  of  the  most  bizarre  ap- 
pearance have  been  extremely  popu- 
lar among  the  younger  men  and 
women,  particularly  in  schools  and 
colleges.  In  some  instances,  the  col- 
lege colors  are  skillfully  blended  in  the 
cloth  and  a  very  pleasing  effect  is  pro- 
duced. The  fabric  presents  no  par- 
ticular difficulty  in  its  production  and 
can  be  manufactured  by  any  mill  with 
ordinary  fancy  cassimere  equipment. 
The  fabrics  are  made  in  all  grades, 
from  the  lowest  cotton  and  shoddy 
combination  to  that  constructed  of 
pure  wool.  The  sample  we  have  for 
analysis  is  made  entirely  of  well- 
grown  shorn  wool  of  quarter-blood 
grade.  If  wools  are  purchased  that 
are  well  graded, 

VERY  LITTLE  SORTING 
will  be  required,  in  fact  the  fleeces 
need  only  to  be  skirted  if  the  entire 
production  of  the  mill  is  to  be  this 
one  fabric.  The  skirted  stock  should 
be  run  through  a  duster  if  any  con- 
siderable quantity  of  loose  dirt  is 
present,  so  that  as  much  as  possible 
may  be  removed  before  the  scouring 
operation,  the  best  form  of  duster  to 
be  used  for  this  purpose  is  an  open 
question. 

Many  manufacturers  are  opposed  to 
the  use  of  the  cone  duster  or  willow, 
as  it  is  commonly  termed,  claiming 
that  its  action  is  too  harsh  and  tends 
to  shorten  the  fibre  to  a  considerable 
degree.  This  feature,  however,  is  not 
as  prominent  a  factor  in  treating 
clothing  wools  as  it  would  be  in  the 
case  of  long  stapled  combing  wools. 
It  is  probably  the  most  common  tyne 
of  duster  to  be  found  in  modern  wool- 
en mills  and  is  well  adanted  to  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  constructed. 
The  operation  of  the  machine  is  very 
simnle  and  requires  no  particular 
skill  in  its  care  or  oneration.  The 
principle  of  operation  is  simply  beat- 
ing the  wool  by  means  of  a  revolving 
cylinder  below  which  a  screen  is  sus- 
pended that  allows  the  fo^eigni  matter 
to  fall  through,  retaining  the  stock. 
The  cylinder  is  cone-shaned,  the 
larger  end  about  48  inches  and  the 
smaller  end  24  inches  in  diameter, 
with  a  length  of  approximately  eight 
feet.    The  cylinder  is  built  upon  a 


shaft  of  some  two  inches  in  diameter, 
with  spiders  or  arms  to  which  wooden 
lags  or  rails  are  attached,  usually 
four  in  number.  Each  lag  is  supplied 
with  iron  teeth  projecting  about  three 
inches.  At  the  back  of  the  machine 
is  a  cylinder  provided  with  short, 
curved  or  cockspur  teeth,  which 
serve  to  comb  or  open  out  the  wool 
as  it  is  operated  on  by  the  straight 
teeth  of  the  main  cylinder.  The  screen 
under  the  main  cylinder  is  made  in 
two  parts,  so  that  it  may  be  readily 
removed  for  cleaning.  To  remove  the 
lighter  dust  and  chaff, 

AN  EXHAUST  FAN 
is  usually  provided,  which  is  attached 
to  the  top  of  the  duster  and  connected 
to  the  inside  of  the  cover  of  the  cylin- 
der. In  operation,  a  current  of  air  is 
in  constant  motion  through  the  dust- 
er, carrying  away  the  dust  and  lighter 
impurities  through  a  pipe  discharging 
outside  the  mill.  To  prevent  the  stock 
from  being  removed  with  the  dirt  a 
suitable  screen  is  placed  below  the 
fan  opening.  The  lower  part  of  the 
duster  is  made  as  nearly  air-tight  as 
possible,  so  that  the  air  in  the  space 
below  the  screen  will  be  compara- 
tively without  motion:  by  so  doing 
the  draft  induced  by  the  fan  will  not 
prevent  the  falling  of  the  heavier  por- 
tions of  the  dirt  as  they  are  loosened 
from  the  wool  by  the  action  of  the 
cvlinder  and  dron  through  the  screen. 
The  feeding  mechanism  consists  of 
an  anron  of  lattice  on  which  the  wool 
mav  be  fed  by  hand  or  a  self-feed. 
This  anron  receives  its  motion  from 
a  t^ain  of  g<^ars  so  arrans^pd  that  the 
movement  of  a  lever  enables  the  op- 
erator to  stop  the  travel  of  the  apron. 
At  the  delivery  end  of  the  an^on  are 
a  pair  of  cockspur  rolls,  which,  work- 
ing in  coniunction  with  the  anron,  de- 
liver the  wool  to  the  cvlinder. 

To  operate  the  machine,  the  wool  is 
fed  to  the  moving  feed  apron  and  de- 
livered to  the  cocksnur  feed  rolls. 
The  teeth  of  the  cylinder  then  beat 
the  stock,  loosening  the  impurities, 
and  the  heavy  dirt  droPS  through  th# 
screen  under  the  cylinder,  the  lighter 
dust,  etc.,  being  drawn  off  by  the  fan. 
The  stock  passes  from  the  small  end 
of  the  cylinder  to  the  larger  end  and 
is  discharged  through  an  opening  at 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


51 


the  back.  The  use  of  a  machine  of 
this  character  is  to  be  commended, 
as  it  puts  the  stock  in  excellent  con- 
dition for  the  next  operation,  that  of 
scouring. 

THE  PROPER  SCOURING  OP  WOOL 

is  an  operation  that  requires  not  only 
a  certain  skill  on  the  part  of  the  op- 
erator, but  also  proper  appliances  and 
pure  materials.  While  it  is  true  that 
wools  of  the  type  used  in  Mackinaws 
are  capable  of  standing  much  harsher 
treatment  without  serious  injury  than 
finer  grades,  it  is  not  advisable  to  use 
harsh  alkalis  as  detergents.  It  is  un- 
usual for  such  wools  to  be  heavily 
yolked,  and  that  being  the  case,  a 
strong  soap  will  not  be  necessary  to 
cleanse  them  perfectly.  The  best  ma- 
terial to  use  is  a  pure  potash  soap 
containing  no  free  caustic  alkali.  To 
strengthen  this,  a  very  satisfactory 
product  is  urine  substitute,  or  atnmo- 
niated  potash.  The  scouring  liquor 
need  not  be  particularly  strong  and 
above  all,  see  that  the  temnerature  is 
not  over  130  degrees  Fahrenheit. 
Strong  alkalis  and  hot  baths  are 
responsible  for  a  great  part  of 
the  poor  work  in  subsequent  op- 
erations. The  scouring  bath  for 
wools  of  this  type  may  be  made 
up  with  soda  soaDs  if  desired,  but 
it  is  not  to  be  advised,  particularly 
if  part  of  the  stock  is  to  be  used  in 
the  white.  The  use  of  soda  has  a 
very  pronounced  tendency  to  produce 
a  yellow  tinge  on  the  wool  and  should 
be  avoided  whenever  possible.  The 
scouring  machine  should  have  not 
less  than  three  bowls,  the  first  two 
containing  scouring  liquors,  the  last 
clear  water  for  rinsing.  A  very  eco- 
nomical arrangement  is  one  that  dis- 
charges the  wool  from  the  last  bowl 
of  the  scouring  machine  to  a  travel- 
ing apron  which,  in  turn,  delivers  it 
to  the  feed  apron  of  the  drying  ma- 
chine. By  means  of  such  an  arrange- 
ment in  connection  with  a  self-feed 
for  the  scouring  machine  two  men 
will  be  able  to  scour  and  dry  ten 
thousand  pounds  of  wool  daily. 

The  mistake  is  often  made  of  dry- 
ing the  stock  too  rapidly,  in  fact  the 
use  of  artificial  heat  in  wool  drying 
should  be  avoided  if  practicable,  as 
stock   dried   naturally   will  produce 


goods  having  a  much  better  handle 
than  can  be  obtained  from  stocks 
dried  by  artificial  means.  The  wool 
is  more  lofty  and  has  a  decidedly 
softer,  fuller  touch.  The  dyeing  of 
the  raw  stock  is  usually  .accomplished 
in  round  wooden  *'kettles"  holding 
from  50  to  300  pounds.  Better  results 
are  obtained  if  the  kettles  are  not 
crowded,  allowing  plenty  of  room  for 
the  stock,  with  a  sufficient  bath  to 
float  and  cover  the  wool. 

The  dyestuft's  used  may  be  for  bot- 
tom or  top  chrome  process,  as  the 
dyer  elects,  though  top  chromes  are 
to  be  preferred,  giving  slightly 
brighter  colors.  Too  much  poling 
should  be  avoided,  as  the  stock  is 
liable  to  become  rolled  and  difficult 
to  open  out  on  the  cards.  In  the 
picker  room  the  use  of  mineral  oils 
should  not  be  permitted,  as  they  are 
extremely  difl[icult  to  remove  in  the 
finishing  process.  The  lubricant  best 
suited  to  wool  is,  of  course,  olive  oil, 
but  its  extremely  high  price  prohibits 
its  use  on  ordinary  fabrics.  In  default 
of  this  we  are  forced  to  use  a  less 
expensive  oil,  and  find  that  a 

GOOD  RED  OR  LARD  OIL 
will  answer  the  purpose  nicely.  The 
emulsion  may  be  prepared  by  mixing 
the  oil  and  water  in  the  proportions 
of  two  parts  water  to  one  part  oil, 
emulsifying  the  mixture  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a  small  quantity  of  borax  or 
other  mild  alkali.  The  emulsion  may 
be  applied  hot  and  after  a  light  beat- 
ing with  a  pole  to  spread  the  emulsion 
through  the  stock,  the  picking  opera- 
tion may  be  started.  In  the  case  of 
all  wool  solid  colors,  it  will  be  un- 
necessary to  put  through  the  mixing 
picker  but  once.  If  there  are  several 
colors  in  the  mixture,  or  a  variety  of 
stocks  to  be  blended,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  run  at  least  three  times  to  ob- 
tain a  homogeneous  mixture. 

MANY  CASES  OF  TROUBLE 
in  the  finishing  room  may  be  traced 
back  to  careless  or  improper  work  in 
the  preparatory  processes.  It  is  not 
unusual  to  find  that  the  cause  of 
cockles,  which  develop  in  the  fulling 
mill,  is  insufficient  tnixing  of  the 
stocks  in  the  picker  house.  Difficulty 
in  scouring  fabrics  is  frequently 
caused  by  the  use  of  an  oil  on  the 


52 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


stock  which  does  not  readily  saponify, 
or  may  be  traced  still  farther  back 
to  the  wool  scouring,  where  improper 
handling  or  the  use  of  hs^rd  water  may 
have  had  an  effect  on  the  wool  that 
will  require  much  time  and  labor  to 
remedy. 

The  Cc«,rding  of  stocks  such  as  these 
is  comparatively  simple,  as  the  wools 
are  open  and  lofty  with  little  or  no 
short  fibre  to  create  pills  or  nibs. 
The  clothing  should  be  in  good  condi- 
tion, the  workers  not  set  too  close, 
yet  with  sufllcient  contact  to  comb 
out  the  stock  and  complete  the  mix- 
ing. The  condensers  need  not  be  set 
close,  as  the  stock  will  make  good 
roving  without  hard  rubbing.  In  us- 
ing all  wool  for  the  mixture,  the  rov- 
ing may  be  made  heavier  thau  would 
be  possible  were  there  any  consid- 
erable quantity  of  short  stock  used. 
This  will  enable  the  carder  to  pro- 
duce roving  enough  from  two  cards 
to  keep  three  ordinary  mules  busy  and 

REDUCi;:  HIS  EXPENSE 

per  pound  to  a  very  satisfactory  fig- 
ure. With  well-made  roving  from 
quarter-blood  stock  the  mules  should 
not  stop  from  start  to  finish  of  a  set, 
except  for  piecing  in  spools  or  work  of 
that  nature.  It  should  be  no  trouble 
for  a  spinner  to  keep  his  ends  up,  as 
breakages  from  any  cause  should  be 
very  rare.  Yarns  snun  well  should  be 
even,  full  and  round,  with  sufficient 
elasticity  to  permit  of  stretching  at 
least  four  inches  to  the  yard.  From 
such  yarns  it  is  possible  to  dress 
warps  that  will  give  maximum  pro- 
duction in  the  weave  room.  The 
spooling  is  a  very  important  opera- 
tion, though  by  many  not  so  consid- 
ered if  resuUs  a^e  to  he  tne  ba'=?is  of 
opinion.  The  knots  must  be  tied  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  avoid  slipning 
and  without  lor^  ends  to  twist  around 
the  other  threads  in  weaving.  The 
tension  n>ust  be  alike  on  each  thread 
and  snools  made  free  from  holes  or 
double  ends.  It  is  fre'^uently  said 
that  a  warn  well  sr^ooled  Is  half 
dressed,  and  anvone  who  has  had  ex- 
perience with  both  classes  of  snool- 
ing  will  readily  confirm  th'^  truth  of 
the  proverb.  The  dressing  may  be 
done  at  fairlv  high  sneed  with  good 
yam  well  spooled,  but  too  much  ten- 


sion should  not  be  placed  on  the 
spools.  The  ideal  warp  is  one  free 
from  threads  out,  with  sections  even, 
and  all  the 

LIFE  AND  ELASTICITY  RETAINED 
in  the  yarn.  With  these  conditions 
fulfilled  the  lot  of  the  weaver  should 
be  comparatively  easy.  With  the 
loom  in  good  shape,  the  speed  may  be 
100  picks  a  minute  and  give  perfect 
results,  as  the  weave  is  not  hard  mor 
the  harnesses  crowded.  When  the 
warp  is  started,  the  fixer  should  see 
that  the  loom  is  in  as  nearly  perfect 
condition  as  may  be,  every  nut  tight, 
the  boxes  and  picking  motion  as  well 
as  the  head  motion  timed  correctly, 
and  the  shuttles  smooth,  free  from 
defective  eyes  and  with  sharp  points. 
Examine  the  pickers,  see  that  they 
throw  the  shuttle  straight  and  that 
picker  and  power  straps  are  in  good 
condition.  The  stop  motion  should 
be  inspected  and  ogled,  as  it  is  not 
easily  reached  when  the  cloth  is 
weaving. 

After  measuring  and  inspecting  in 
the  weave  room,  the  pieces  are  ready 
for  the  burlers.  For  this  operation 
the  girls  should  be  furnished  with  a 
sloping  table  with  perfectly  smooth 
top,  preferably  of  metal,  which  will 
enable  them  to  detect  the  knots  very 
readily,  as  the  hands  are  passed  over 
the  surface  of  the  goods.  Re- 
move all  foreign  matter,  slugs,  etc., 
and  mark  all  imnerfections  which  re- 
nuire  the  attention  of  the  sewers. 
After  the  pieces  have  been  burled 
and  sewed  they  should  have  some 
work  on  the  napning  machine  in  the 
grease.  This  is  not  customary  in  fin- 
ishing cassimeres,  and  is  not  neces- 
sary in  finishing  Mackinaws  com- 
posed entirely  of  wool,  but  is  very 
essential  on  low-grrade  goods. 

THE  FULLING 
will  not  require  much  time  nor 
a  strong  soap.  A  very  satisfac- 
tory fulling  soap  for  all  wool  goods 
may  be  made  up  with  a  pure  neutral 
palm  oil  soan,  built  un  to  the 
requisite  strength  with  a  good  alkali. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  have  the  soap 
evenly  distributed  over  the  pieces  or 
uneven  fueling  will  be  the  result. 
Heaw  Ma<^k1r»aws  will  need  to  be 
fulled  to  within  an  inch  of  the  fin- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


53 


/shed  width,  as  they  will  go  up  in 
width  very  little  in  subsequent  opera- 
tions. From  the  fulling  mills  they 
should  go  at  once  to  the  washers  and 
usually  may  be  scoured  without  the 
use  of  additional  soap.  The  goods 
should  be  first  washed  with  warm 
water  to  float  out  all  the  dirt  and 
grease,  then  rinsed  for  20  to  30  min- 
utes in  cold  water;  before  removing 
from  the  washer  a  quart  of  ammonia 
may  be  added  to  the  rinse  water, 
which  will  brighten  the  colors  some- 
what. After  drying  give  a  run  on  the 
brush  and  then  shear  to  even  up  the 
nap  and  remove  any  long  fibres,  give 
a  light  press,  inspect  and  roll  up. 

LAYOUT. 

2,688  ends;  reed  9^^— 4  =  70.7"  +  1%"  for 

listing  =  72.2"  over  all. 
48  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,fi88   ends:    2   run    =    13.44    oz.  4- 

7%    =  14.38  oz. 

48  X  72  2 

48  picks  2%  run  =    =  15.40  oz. 

225   

Loom   weight    29.78  oz. 


COST. 

29.78  oz.   +   15%  shrinkage  =  35.03  oz. 

35.03  oz.  (a)  40c.  per  lb  ==  $  .87575 

Manufacturing,  48  picks   =  .35000 


Mill  cost    $1.22575 

Dressed: 

Mixture  112  24  12  40  12  24  112  336 
Black  32     12     12    12    12     82  112 

'  448 
•6 


2.688 

♦Sections. 
Filling: 

White  32    12    12    12    12    32  112 

Mixture      116    24    12    48    12    24    116  352 

464 

!!■  sirannnD  i 

■■  '^■■n 

□□■□■□n  □□□■■■'"^□n 

■□■»■!□□□«■■■■□ 

■«■□■□■■■■■□□□■■ 

□□iBBnnnnn»nBma 


BANNOCKBURNS 


The  name  Bannockburn  is  now  applied  to  a  number  of  cloths  which  are 
not  even  remotely  related  to  the  true  type  of  fabric  of  this  name.  The  origin 
of  the  peculiar  cloth  bearing  this  name  is  a  subject  of  dispute,  but  all  agree 
that  it  was  originated  in  Scotland,  some  claiming  the  honor  of  its  introduc- 
tion to  a  Galashiels  weaver,  others  as  stoutly  maintaining  that  the  first  Ban- 
nockburn to  be  sold  as  such  was  the  product  of  an  Alva  loom.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  the  typical  Bannockburn  tweed  is  now  well  and  favorably  known  wher- 
ever the  English  language  is  spoken.  The  fabric,  while  in  construction 
very  similar  to  the  ordinary  Scotch  tweed,  having  practically  the  same  tex- 
ture and  manufactured  from  the  same  stock,  differs  materially  in  appear- 
ance. The  fabrics  commonly  known  as  tweeds  are  made  from  threads  of 
two-ply  yarns,  alternated  with  a  thread  of  single,  as  are  the  fabrics  here 
described.  The  distinguishing  feature  of  the  cloth  under  discussion  is  the 
fact  that  in  making  the  two-ply  thread,  commonly  termed 

Double  and  Twist, 

the  two  threads  used  for  producing  the  finished  yarn  are  of  contrasting 
colors,  while  in  the  ordinary  tweed  the  single  threads  are  of  the  same  color, 
and  when  twisted  show  comparatively  little  of  the  twist  effect.  To  anyone 
at  all  familiar  with  textile  manufacturing,  it  is  not  necessary  to  state  that 
the  use  of  two  colors  in  producing  a  double  and  twist  thread  permits  of 
developing  a  variety  of  styles  of  singular  beauty.  By  the  judicious  selection 
of  colors  for  the  primary  threads  and  good  taste  in  combining  them  on  the 
twisting  frame,  it  is  possible  to  produce  an  extremely  satisfactory  line  of 
twists,  which  the  skilled  designer,  with  his  knowledge  of  weaves,  may  blend 


54 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


into  fabrics  that  will  please  the  most  fastidious  dresser,  or,  on  the  other 
hand,  produce  cloths  that  will  delight  the  eye  of  the  young  man  who  wants 
a  garment  that  is  stylish  and  nobby. 

In  the  manufacture  of  the  higher  grades  of  Bannockburns,  nothing  but 
pure  wool  is  used,  and  th^'s  should  be,  pre  erably,  of  his:  i  •  quarter  or  three- 
eighths  grade,  selected  from  bright,  well-grown  wools,  full  of  life  and  elas- 
ticity. The  drugs  used  in  dyeing  the  stock  must  be  selected  with  a  view 
to  securing  colors  that  are 

Bright  and  Lively, 

or  much  of  their  effectiveness  will  be  lost.  The  carding  and  spinning  of 
the  threads  for  making  the  twist  will  require  especial  care,  or  the  resultant 
yarns  will  be  far  from  satisfactory.  While  in  an  ordinary  tweed  or  cassi- 
mere  a  slight  unevenness  of  the  thread  will  make  no  appreciable  difference 
in  the  finished  goods,  the  direct  opposite  is  the  case  with  fabrics  made  from 
double-colored  twists.  In  fact,  the  most  prevalent  and  annoying  defects  to 
be  found  in  this  type  of  fabric  are  caused  by  variations  in  the  twist,  result- 
ing from  uneven  yarns. 

The  carder  will  need  to  pay  particular  attention  to  the  size  of  the  rov- 
ing, see  that  the  side  ends  are  not  light  or  heavy,  watch  the  weight  of  top 
and  bottom  spools  on  the  finisher,  and  see  that  the  roving  goes  to  the  spin- 
ner in  as  nearly  perfect  condition  as  possible.  A  frequent  cause  of  trouble 
is  defective  feed  rolls.  The  rolls  may  be  slightly  sprung  and  the  clothing 
or  the  gears  so  badly  worn  that  at  times  a  tooth  slips  by  and  allows  an  ex- 
cess of  stock  to  be  carried  to  the  cylinder.  The  stock  used  in  the  sample 
analyzed  is  a  mixture  of  85  per  cent  wool  and  15  per  cent  shoddy  for  the 
twist  threads  and  the  single  warp,  while  the  single  yarn  in  the  filling  is 
spun  from  a  blend  of  50  per  cent  wool  and  50  per  cent  shoddy.  By  using  a 
mixture  of  this  grade  for  the  manufacture  of  the  twist  threads,  a  good  pro- 
duction is  assured  from  the  cards,  as  the  roving  will  readily  admit  of  spin- 
ning at  half-draft  for  the  four  and  a  quarter  run.  The  twist  in  the  single 
yarns  for  making  the  two-ply  should  be  left  hand,  the  finished  thread  twist- 
ed 12  turns  to  the  right,  making  a  thread  equal  in  size  to  a  two-run  single. 
The  31 -run  warp  may  be  spun  two- thirds  draft,  twist  to  the  right,  and  the 
21/^ -run  filling  should  be  spun  half -draft,  twist  to  the  right.  Warps  made 
from  the  stock  described  will  require  no  sizing,  so  may  be  made  on  the 
dry  dressing  frame.  The  use  of  long  pins  on  the  reel  will  admit  of  build- 
ing the  sections  to  such  a  height  that  a  long  warp  may  be  made,  which,  by 
using  a  warp  compressor,  may  be  placed  on  the  ordinary  beam  without 
using  undue  friction  on  the  reel  during  beaming.  Even  if  the  extra  length 
of  warp  on  each  beam  is  not  an  advantage  at  all  times,  the  use  of  the 
compressor  is  strongly  advised,  as  warps  on  which  it  is  used  invariably  give 
much  better  results  in  the  way  of  more  nearly  perfect  work  and  increased 
production  in  the  weave  room,  owing  to  the  lessened  strain  on  the  yarn  in 
the  beaming  operation,  and  the 

Preservation  of  the  Elasticity 
of  the  yarn.  To  anyone  at  all  familiar  with  textile  manufacturing,  the 
great  advantage  derived  from  the  latter  feature  will  be  readily  apparent,  as 
it  is  obvious  that  the  less  a  yarn  is  strained  in  previous  operations,  the 
better  it  will  be  able  to  endure  the  stress  incident  to  the  intermittent  ac- 
tion of  the  reed  in  beating  the  weft  into  the  fell  of  the  cloth. 

The  finishing  must  be  well  looked  after,  if  the  best  possible  results  are 
to  be  secured.  Burling  is  a  simple  operation,  requiring  no  special  skill,  but 
care  must  be  used  in  removing  the  knots,  lest  the  ends  be  broken  off  so 
short  that  in  further  processes  they  do  not  shrink  back,  leaving  the  defect 
commonly  known  as  pin  holes.  The  sewers  must  be  instructed  to  replace  all 
coarse  and  uneven  twist,  as  imperfections  of  this  nature  are  one  of  the 
most  frequent  causes  of  claims.  Much  of  this  could  be  avoided  by  having  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


55 


twist  yarns  sorted  when  taken  from  the  twister,  rejecting  bobbins  which 
are  imperfect,  thus  preventing  their  being  woven  into  the  cloth,  and  caus- 
ing not  only  much  extra  labor  but  oftentimes  very  serious  loss.  Goods  made 
from  straight  wool  mixtures  may  be  fulled  in  the  grease,  but  if  there  is  any 
suspicion  of  danger  of  staining  the  light  colors  used  in  the  twist,  a  prelim- 
inary scouring  would  be  advisable.  Bannockburns  should  be  fulled  to  the 
finished  width,  dried  an  inch  wider,  and  the  operations  of  dry  finishing 
will  again  shrink  them  to  the  correct  width.  In  general,  these  fabrics  are 
not  closely  shorn,  and  are  finished  to  loom  length. 


Warp: 

1,008  ends  2/4  run  D.  T.  5.04  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrink- 
age   

1,008  ends  3^  run   3.07  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrink- 
age   

8.11  oz. 


5.54  oz. 


3.37  oz. 


18-Ounce 


Bannockburn, 
Wide. 


56  Inches 


Layout  for  18-oz.  fabric: 

2,016  ends,  reed,  IV2   X  4  in  dent  =  67.2" 

plus  2"  for  listing  =   69.2"  over  all. 
32  picks. 


Filling: 

32  picks  per  inch   X   69.2"  =  2,214. 

1,107  picks  2/4  run  D.  T.  5.53  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrink- 
age   6.08  oz. 

1,107  picks  21/2  run   4.42  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrink- 
age   4.86  oz. 

Finished  weight   18.06  oz.  10.94  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material : 

The  black  and  white  yarns  used  for  the 
2/4  double  twist,  are  spun  V2  draft,  twist 
to  left,  414  run,  allowing  6%  take-up  in 
twisting,  then  twisted  together,  12  turns 
per  inch  to  the  right.  The  ZV4,  run  mix- 
ture warp  yarn  is  made  from  the  same 
blend  of  stock  spun  2/3  draft,  twist  t^ 
the  right. 


85%  med.  wool  @  45c   =  $  .3825 

15%  shoddy  @  33c   =  .0555 

16)  $  .4380 

An  ounce   $  .0274 


Warp: 

Black  and  white  2/4  run  D.  T.  = 
Mixture  3%  run  = 


=  1 
=  1 


2  X  1.008  =  2.016  ends. 


Filling,   32  picks: 

Black  and  white  2/4  run  D.  T.  =  |  1  |  1=1 
Black,  2 1^  run  =  I     |  1  |  =  1 


CHAIN  DRAFT. 
Luma 

STRAIGHT  DRAW. 
Note — Twill  runs  to  the  left  on  face. 


The  black  2V2  run  filling  is  spun  i/i  drafv 
twist  to  the  left. 

50%  med.  wool  @  45c   =  $  .2250 

50%  shoddy  @  33c   =  .1650 

16)  $  .390C 

An  ounce   $  .0244 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


5.54  oz.  2/4  run  D.  T.  warp. 

6.08  oz.  2/4  run  D.  T.  filling. 

3.37  oz.  3^  run  warp. 

14.99  oz.  +  15%  shrinkage  =  17.24  oz.  @  $.0274    =     $  .4724 

4.86  oz.  2V^  run  filling  +  157©  shrinkage  =  5.59  oz.  @  $.0244   =  .1363 

$  .6087 

Manufacturing:  32  picks    .2590 

Mill  cost.    $  .8677 

r.oom  weight,  22.83  oz. 


22  2-10-OUNCE  BANNOCKBURN  SUITING. 

The  22  2-10-ounce,  56-inch  wide  bannockburn  is  made  with  heavier 
yarns  and  lower-priced  stock  blend  than  in  sample  of  18-ounce  just  de- 
scribed. 


dent  =  68%" 
for  listing  = 


22  2-10-Ounce  Bannockburn,  56  Inches 
Wide. 

Layout: 

1,920  ends,  reed  7   X   4  in 

inside  of  listing;  plus  2" 

701/^8"  over  all. 
28  picks. 


Warp: 

A  Black  and  white  D.  T. 
B  Black  and  red  D.  T. 
C  Black  and  gold    D.  T. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

The  black  for  double  twist  Is  spun  % 
draft,  twist  to  the  left,  to  2%  run,  allow- 
ing 5%   take-up  in  twisting. 

50%  med.  wool  @  45c   =  $  .2250 

50%  shoddy  @  18c   =  .0900 

16)  $  .3150 

An  ounce   $  .0197 

The  white,  red  and  gold  for  double  twist 
is  spun  y2  draft,  twist  to  left,  3%  run 
to  allow  about  4%  take-up  in  twisting. 

70%  med.  wool  @  45c   =  $  .3150 

30%  shoddy  @  33c   =  .0990 

16)  $  .4140 

An  ounce   $  .0259 

2/2%  and  3%  run  warp  D.  T.  is  twisted  11 
turns  per  inch  to  the  right. 

58%  black  2%  run  @  $.0197...  =  $  .0114 
42%  color  3%  run  @  $.0259...  =  .0109 

Cost  per  ounce   $  .0223 

The  black  filling  is  spun  \(t  draft  1%  run 
twist  to  the  right. 

70%  shoddy  @  18c   =  $  .1260 

30%  med.  wool  @  45c   =  .1350 

16)  $  .2610 

An  ounce   $  .0163 


2/2 1^  and  3%  run 
2/21/^  and  3V^  run 
2/2^8  and  3V^  run 


11      1  =  2 

X 

480  = 

960 

X 

480  = 

480 

lil=J 

X 

480  = 

480 

4 

X 

480  = 

1,920 

Filling: 
28  picks. 
Black  1%  run. 


CHAIN  DRAFT. 
STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


Note — Twni  runs  to  the  left  on  face. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


57 


»Varp:  Filling: 
l,y20  ends  2/2^^  and  28  picks  X  70^"  =  1,974 

run  10.97  oz.  picks  1%  run  11.25  oz. 

Plus   10%    loonn   shrink-                                      Plus   10%    loom  shrink- 
age   12.06  oz.  age    12.37  oz. 


Finished  weight   22.22  oz.  24.43  oz 

12.06  oz.  2/2%  run  warp  -|-  15%  shrinkage  =  13.87  (g)  $.0223  =  $  .3093 

12.37  oz.  1%  run  lilling  -f  20%  shrinkage   =  14.84  (q)     .0163  ==  .2419 

28.71  oz.  $  .5512 

Manufacturing:   28  picks    .2420 

Mill    cost    $  .7932 

i.oom  weiglit,  28.71  ounces. 


HAIR  LINE  DRESS  GOODS 


The  hair  line  and  tricot  are  very  closely  allied  fabrics,  and  a  few  years 
ago  formed  the  major  part  of  the  output  of  many  of  our  woolen  mills.  The 
cloths  were  made  in  a  great  variety  of  weights  and  colors  for  both  men's 
and  women's  wear.  By  changing  the  color  arrangement  in  the  dressing  pat- 


Hair  Line  Dress  Goods. 


tern  it  is  possible  to  make  a  variety  of  widths  of  stripes.  The  patterns 
most  in  vogue  were  the  single  thread  hair  line  and  the  double  thread  stripe 
shown  in  the  illustration  at  the  head  of  this  description.  The  weave  em- 
ployed for  the  production  of  the  hair  line  is  the  four-harness  broken  twill, 
three  up  and  one  down,  and  is  used  in  the  lighter  weights  without  either 
warp  or  filling  back.  The  goods  were  invariably  made  with  a 

Clear  Finish  and  from  Fine  Wools. 
At  the  present  time  they  are  manufactured  in  very  small  quantities,  the 
vogue  having  been  superseded  almost  entirely  by  other  styles.   The  most 
recent  example  of  the  fabric  which  has  come  to  our  notice  is  one  made 


58  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


from  coarse  stock,  with  a  semi-cheviot  finish  in  overcoating  weight. 

The  fabric  illustrated  is  primarily  intended  for  use  as  dress  goods  and 
is  made  from  a  fine  medium  wool  in  two  shades  of  mixture.  The  blends 
must  be  thoroughly  mixed  in  the  picker  room  so  as  to  avoid  the 

Blotchy  Appearance 
that  is  characteristic  of  so  many  of  the  mixtures  shown  by  mills  where 
attention  to  detail  is  not,  to  say  the  least,  carried  to  extremes.  To  pro- 
duce the  best  results  on  fabrics  of  this  character,  particular  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  selection  of  the  wools  used  for  the  light  colors  in 
the  mixture,  as  by  so  doing  the  danger  of  specks  can  be  eliminated  to  a  very 
marked  degree.  The  wools  should  be  free  and  open,  with  no  sign  of  ''pills'* 
or  nits.  The  cards  must  be  in  excellent  condition,  the  clothing  true  and 
sharp,  and  set  close  enough  to  give  a  clean,  clear  sliver  from  the  second 
breaker.  As  the  stock  used  is  a  fine  clear  wool  it  will  be  possible  to  make 
the  roving  fairly  heavy,  half  draft  at  least.  That  is  to  say,  the  weight  of  25 
yards  of  roving  will  equal  that  of  50  yards  of  yarn.  This  will  not  only  give 
a  relatively  larger  production  from  the  card  room  but  will  allow  sufficient 
drafting  on  the  mule  to  insure  a  well  made,  round,  elastic  thread  that  will 
give  an  excellent  account  of  itself  in  the  weaving  and  finishing  processes. 
Hair  lines  of  the  type  here  described  are 

Not  Felted  to  Any  Extent, 
and  are  therefore  laid  comparatively  narrow  in  the  reed.  Indeed,  to  many 
who  are  accustomed  to  the  heavier,  finer  fabrics  for  men's  wear  purposes, 
it  may  appear  that  the  width  given  in  our  layout  is  entirely  inadequate  to 
produce  the  desired  results.  This  is  not  the  case,  however,  as  the  layout 
here  given  is  not  theoretical,  but  is  taken  from  actual  mill  practice,  and 
has  been  found  to  give  excellent  results.  The  scouring  may  be  done  before 
fulling,  or  may  follow  that  operation,  as  the  judgment  of  the  finisher  may  in- 
dicate. Wbei  drv,  the  pieces  sho  li  be  well  brushed,  ar.d  should  shear 
out  sufficiently  clear  without  the  application  of  the  napping  process.  After 
shearing,  brush,  spray  and  press. 

9  3-10-Ounce  Hair  Line  Dress  Goods. 

Layout:  1.664  ends  31/2  run  warp  4.72  oz. 

1,664  ends,  reed,   13   X    2  in  dent,   64"   4-         Pli^^  10%  loom  take-up  5.05  oz. 

1,716   picks  3%   run  fill- 
ing-   4.57  oz. 

Plus  5%  loom  take-up..  4.75  oz. 

Finished   weight......  9.29  oz.      9.80  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Material : 

Wnrp  and  filling: 

Med.   wool    @    54c   =  $  .5400 

16)  $  .5400 

An  ounce   $  .033T 

The  warp  yarn  is  spun  V2  draft  3^  runs, 
twist  to  right.  The  filling  is  spun  i/i  draft 
3%  run,  twist  to  right. 


2  X  416  =  832 
2  X  416  =  832 

4   X  416  =  1,664 

1 
1 

2 

9  80  oz.  -\-  12%  shrinkage  =  10.98  oz.  @  $.0337 
Manufacturing:    26  picks   


2"  for  listing  =  66". 
26  picks. 
Four  harness. 

STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


^^^^ 
^^^^ 

^  Hvan  Dk.  fill 

^  Lt.  fill. 

O  ""rj  Dk.  fill. 

°™  Lt.  fill. 

HARNESS  DRAFT. 

Warp: 

A  Light  mixture  3^^  run  I  2  |  I  = 
B  Dark  mixture    Z\<2   run    |      |  2  |  = 


Filling: 

26  picks  per  inch  X  66"  =  1,716. 

A  Light  mixture  3^   run     ill  | 

B  Dark    mixture  3%  run    |      |  1  | 


=  $  .3695 
.2340 


Mill  cost   (per  yard) 


$  .«03g 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


59 


LADIES'  COATING  FABRIC 


Changeable  in  Shade. 

Nothing  is  more  subject  to  the  vagaries  of  fashion  than  tlie  fabrics  used 
for  ladies'  coats.  Some  twenty  years  ago  various  types  of  boucles  Vv^ere 
very  much  in  evidence  and  liave  been  superseded  by  a  variety  of  novelty 
cloths  until  the  cycle  has  been  completed,  and  the  boucle  is  once  more  in 
favor.  Not  many  years  have  elapsed  since  the  fabric  here  described  and 
illustrated  was  extremely  popular  for  spring  and  fall  jackets,  while  at  the 
present  time  it  is  doubtful  if  such  a  cloth  could  be  marketed  at  any  price. 


11 -Ounce  i_aase«>    Gua*.ing  ra^jiic. 

The  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  fabric  is  obtained,  not  alone  by  the  weave 
or  color,  but  by  a  tasteful  combination  of  the  weave  best  adapted  to  bring 
out  the  effect  and  well-selected  siiades  of  warp  and  filling  in  contrasting 
colors.  The  general  effect  is  a  two-toned  cloth,  changing  color  as  the 
angle  of  vision  changes.  These  cloths  are  finished  clear,  so  as  to  imitate 
as  nearly  as  possible  a  fabric  made  from  worsted  yarns. 

Contrary  to  ihe  general  opinion,  this  effect  is  not  to  be  obtained  by  giving 
excessive  twist  to  the  yarn,  but  rather  by  using  less  than  the  standard 
number  of  turns  to  the  inch.  Those  conversant  with  the  method  of  manu- 
lacturing  both  types  of  yarn  will  readily  appreciate  the  reason  for  reducing 


60  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  twist.  In  the  manufacture  of  worsted  yarns,  it  will  be  remembered,  the 
method  pursued  is  to  draft  endwise,  constantly  reducing  the  size 
of  the  drawing  until  a  roving  is  produced  small  enough  to  spin  to  the  re- 
quired number.  The  resulting  thread  is  one  that  has  its  constituent  fibres 
laid  parallel  to  each  other  and  extended  to  tiieir  full  length.  As  the  eye 
looks  on  the  finished  thread  it  sees  only  the  sides  of  a  bundle  of  fibres. 
Woolen  yarns,  on  the  other  hand,  are  not  made  by  endwise  drafting,  nor 
is  the  par  lielization  of  the  fiores  a  leature  of  the  sys.e  oi  m-in  lacture. 
The  combing  effect  of  the  card  is  neutralized  to  a  great  extent  by  the  method 
of  taking  the  stock  from  the  doffer.  Instead  of  removing  the  web  in  the 
direction  of  its  line  of  motion  through  the  card  itself,  it  is  drawn  off  at 
right  angles  through  a  tube  at  the  side,  and  this  "side  drawing,"  as  it  is 

Placed  Diagonally 

on  the  feed  table  of  the  next  machine.  In  forming  the  roving  for  the  mules, 
the  procedure  is  very  different  fro  n  the  gradual  reduction  of  the  worsted 
sliver  by  successive  draftings.  The  wool  is  removed  from  the  rapidly 
revolving  cylinder,  by  the  ring  doffers,  whose  suriace  velocity  is  only  a 
fractional  part  of  that  of  the  cylinder,  which  deposits  on  them  a  very  much 
jumbled  up  mass  ol  fibres,  which  are  anything  but  parallel. 

In  the  spinning  operation,  it  is  true  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  drafting, 
but  nothing  like  sufficient  to  place  the  fibres  parallel.  In  looking  at  a 
woolen  thread  the  eye  gets  a  view  of  a  tangled  mass  of  fibres  lying  in  all 
directions,  with  the  ends  and  sides  presented  indiscriminately,  and  the 
greater  the  amount  of  twist  in  the  yarn,  the  greater  the  confusion  of 
fibres  resulting.  To  approximate  the  appearance  of  a  worsted  thread,  there- 
fore, the  less  the  effect  of  the  drawing  on  the  mule,  should  be  neutralized 
by  twisting.  To  obtain  the  best  results  on  fabrics  of  the  type  here  describ- 
ed, it  is  necessary  that  the  selection  of  the  wools  to  be  used  receive  careful 
attention.  The  stock  must  be  fine,  with  good  staple  and  more  than  average 
felting  qualities.  The 

Fine  Medium  or  Half-Blood 

Montanas  possess  these  characteristics  and  will  be  found  peculiarly  adapted 
for  the  purpose.  The  fleeces  should  be  carefully  sorted,  the  paint  and  large 
masses  of  burs  clipped  out.  In  scouring  stock  of  this  grade,  no  harsh  deter- 
gents should  be  used,  nor  should  the  scouring  bath  be  over  125  to  130  degrees 
Fahrenheit.  Excessive  heat  and  improper  materials  used  in  scouring  will  have 
a  very  serious  effect  on  the  working  qualities  of  the  wool.  Another  source 
of  injury  to  the  wool  fibre  that  is  frequently  overlooked  is  the  use  of  too 
great  heat  in  the  drying.  If  time  will  permit,  no  better  method  of  drying 
wool  can  possibly  be  used  than  the  so-called  cold  air  system.  This  method 
consists  of  placing  the  wool  in  a  suitable  screen  or  dryer  and  forcing  air, 
at  the  normal  temperature  of  the  room,  through  the  stock.  This  method 
retains  all  the  life  and  vitality  in  the  stock,  with  no  impairment  of  its  work- 
ing qualities. 

The  importance  of  retaining,  as  far  as  possible,  the  natural  characteris- 
tics of  the  wool  fibres  is  too  often  lost  sight  of  in  the  rush  to  get  the  raw 
stock  into  finished  goods  in  the  shortest  possible  time.  This  is  a  very 
serious  mistake,  and  is  responsible,  largely,  for  the  fancied  superiority  of 
the  fabrics  made  abroad.  The  gain  in  time  is  more  apparent  than  real, 
and  the  necessity  for  such  undue  haste  can  readily  be  overcome  by  making 
systematic  plans  for  the  work  to  be  accomplished.  It  will  invariably  be 
found  that  in  the  mill  where  lots  have  to  be  rushed  through  the  various 
departments  to  avoid  delaying  some  advanced  operation,  the 

Fundamental  Defect 

is  a  lack  of  system  which  might  be  easily  remedied,  with  a  marked  increase 
of  efficiency,  and  a  notable  improvement  in  results.    When  dry,  the  wool 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


61 


may  be  taken  to  the  dyehouse,  frequently  the  source  of  much  subsequent 
trouble.  To  one  unfamiliar  with  the  woolen  business  it  may  seem  strange 
to  have  the  statement  that  the  "wool  was  burned  in  the  dyehouse,"  but 
that  is  a  familiar  tale  from  the  carder  when  questioned  as  to  the  reason 
for  a  certain  lot  running  so  badly.  That  irreparable  injury  may  be  done  the 
wool  during  the  dyeing  is  a  lact  too  oiien  verined  in  accacil  experipa^e  need 
any  proof  here.  Excessive  boiling  is  one  very  common  cause  of  serious 
trouble  in  the  card  room  and  should  be  avoided  in  every  case.  It  is  im- 
possible for  the  best  of  dyers  to  get  the  desired  shade  at  the  first  attempt 
every  time,  but  care  in  polmg  the  wool  and  good  judgnieni  in  using  the 
shading  colors  will  do  much  toward  lessening  this  evil.  When  colored 
and  dried  the  stock  is  ready  for  the  picker  house,  and  if  it  contains  burs 

Should  Be  Run  Through  the  Bur  Picker 

for  their  removal.    The  batches  for  these  fabrics  are  usually  solid  colors, 

and  may  be  oiled  and  run  through  the  mixing  picker  once,  which  should  put 
them  in  condition  for  the  cards.  Before  placing  the  lot  on  the  cards,  they 
should  be  ground  if  necessary,  and  the  setiing  adjusted  tor  the  stock. 
Better  results  will  be  obtained  from  a  set  clothed  with  fine  wire.  For 
yarns  of  this  size  and  quality  the  first  breaker  should  be  clothed  with 
wire  not  coarser  than  32,  with  34  on  the  second  breaker  and  imisher. 
Make  the  roving  three  and  a  half  run  for  the  warp  and  three  run  for  the 
filling,  which  will  give  draft  enough  to  make  a  smooth,  strong  thread  with 
medium  twist.  No  sizing  should  be  required  in  the  dressing,  though  many 
manufacturers  will  not  agree  with  this  statement. 

The  weave  used  is  usually  the  nine  or  ten  harness  whipcord,  not  an 
especially  hard  weave,  and  should  give  excellent  results  in  the  way  of 
production  with  a  minimum  of  imperfections  due  to  warp  breakage.  Burling 
and  sewing  follow  the  usual  routine  and  the  goods  should  be  fulled  to  56 
inches  before  scouring.  Do  not  trap  in  the  mills  as  the  goods  are  to  finish 
loom  yards.  From  the  fulling  mills,  transier  at  once  to  the  washer,  where 
they  must  be  scoured  thoroughly  clean.  Dry,  shear,  brush  and  press. 
To  avoid  rolling  of  the  listings  use  two  extra  harnesses,  drawing  the  list- 
ing two  in  a  heddle  and  weave  two  up  and  two  down. 


O 


Ten  harness.  Whipcord. 
Repeat  after  five. 


X 

\ 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X- 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

• 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

r 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

J 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

IBSBBiBQgii 

O 


Nine  harness.  Whipcord. 


X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

; 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

<^ 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

r 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

/ 

7 

/ 

STRAIGHT  DRAW^ 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


62 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Layout: 
3,600  ends,  46  picks. 
Heed:  13—4—69.23"  between  listing. 

Warp: 

3,600  thr.,  6^  run   5.54  oz. 

Filling: 

46  picks,  6  run,    5.46  oz. 

11.00  oz. 

10%  loom  take-up    1.10  oz. 

Loom  weight   12.10  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Warp  and  Filling: 
Fine  grade  wool  @  S^c.  an  oz          =   $  .5600 

Material: 
12.10  plus  15%  shrinkage 

13.92  oz.  @  SygC   =   %  .4872 

Manufacturing: 

46    picks    .3160 

Mill  cost    $  .8032 

To  cheapen  this  fabric  use  25%  fine  shoddy  in 
filling. 


MIXTURE  OVERCOATINGS 


Finished  24  Ounces. 

The  overcoatings  here  illustrated  are  made  from  heavy  yarn,  frequently 
in  rather  bold  designs,  and  when  well-tailored  have  the  nohby  appearance 
that  appeals  to  the  man  who  wants  something  stylish  but  not  extreme.  The 
wools  used  are  well-selected,  bright  fleeces,  which  aid  very  materially  in 


24-Ounce  Fancy  Overcoating. 

giving  character  to  the  fabric.  The  fancy  24-ounce  fabric  is  made  with  a 
very  light  mix  or  a  white  warp,  with  dark  mixture  or  solid-colored  filling. 
This  tends  to 

Emphasize  the  Weave  Design, 

and  throws  the  light  spots  into  bold  contrast.  Opportunities  for  the  design- 
er to  show  his  skill  in  weave  formation  are  well  afforded  in  cloths  of  this 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


63 


nature,  as  the  contrast  in  color  of  warp  and  filling  is  of  great  assistance  in 
making  the  patterns  well  defined. 

In  selecting  the  wools  to  be  used  for  the  white  in  the  mixture,  special 
attention  should  be  paid  to  its  freedom  from  the  extremely  short  fibres 
which  are  apt  to  form  nibs  during  the  carding,  and  cannot  be  opened  up 
thoroughly,  forming  specks,  a  defect  that  must  be  avoided  at  all  hazards. 
Have  the  stock  vv^ell  sorted,  and  scour  with  a  pure,  well-made  soap  in  a 
bath  not  exceeding  120  to  130  degrees  Fahrenheit  in  temperature.  The  por- 
tion of  wool  intended  to  be  used  for  white,  either  in  mixture  or  solid,  need 
not  be  dried  but  placed  in 

The  Bleaching  Liquor, 

which  has  previously  been  prepared.  Of  the  many  methods  of  bleaching  in 
common  use,  the  most  feasible  for  the  mill  without  special  facilities  is  prob- 
ably the  use  of  bisulphite.  This  simply  requires  a  clean  dye-tub,  and  gives 
excellent  results.  The  operation  is  extremely  simple,  and  may  be  under- 
taken by  any  dyer  without  fear  of  injuring  the  stock  or  failure  to  secure  a 
good  bleach. 

The  bath  is  prepared  with  60  pounds  of  bisulphite  of  soda  and  10  pounds 
of  sulphuric  acid  in  500  gallons  of  water.  This  is  sufficient  for  300  pounds 
of  wool.  The  wool  should  be  well  poled  for  a  short  time  to  insure  thorough 


BASKET  LEAF  TV^ILL. 


X 

X 

X 

/ 

X 

X 

X 

-J' 

• 

» 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

O 

% 

X 

X 

X 

'  < 

ft 

X 

fa 

X 

X 

X 

X 

• 

t 

X 

X 

/ 

• 

• 

• 

X 

/ 

K 

I 

X 

• 

/ 

J 

A 

r 

Warp : 

Bleached  white  medium  wool. 
Filling:: 

Plain  black  or  gray  mixture;  also  made  in 

herring-bones. 


FOUR-LEAF  TWILL,  FACE  AND  BACK. 


EE 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


•jayout: 
2.280  ends.  32  picks. 

Reed  7% — 4—76   inches  between  listing. 
Varp: 

2,280  thr.,  2  run  11.40  oz. 

'''illingr: 

32  picks,  2  run   12.53  oz. 

.2"  for  listing:. 


23.90  oz. 

10%  loom  take-up    2.39  oz. 


Loom  weight  26.29  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

75%  medium  grade  wool  @  44c  $  .3300 

25%)  medium  grade  of  shoddy  @  20c  0500 

16)$  .3800 


An  ounce   2.12i/^c. 

Material: 
26.29  plus  15%o;  2.75  shrinkage. 
29.04  ounces  @  2.12MjC  $  .6171 


Manufacturing: 

32  picks   

5%  cloth  shrinkage 


.2590 
.0462 


Mill    cost  $  .9223 


penetration  of  the  bleaching  liquor,  and  allowed  to  remain  four  or  five 
hours,  or  still  better,  overnight.  In  the  morning  draw  off  the  kettle,  allow 
the  stock  to  drain  for  a  short  time,  extract  and  dry.  Many  superintendents 
object  to  the  dead  white  of  the  bleached  stock,  which  may  be  corrected  by 
the  use  of  a  thin  blue.  A  small  percentage  of  a  blue  similar  in  type  to  S.K.Y. 
will  change  the  shade  of  the  resulting  mixture  to  the  steely  tone  which  the 


64 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


majority  of  buyers  prefer  to  the  effect  of  the  clear  white.  Have  the  stock 
well  mixed  in  the  picker  room,  using  four  quarts  of  oil  to  the  hundred,  in- 
suring ease  of  carding  with  little  or  no  breaking  of  the  fibre,  and  conse- 
quently 

Much  Less  Waste. 

A  very  common  mistake  made  at  this  point  in  manufacturing  is  the  ap- 
plication of  too  little  oil,  or  the  use  of  an  inferior  grade.  This  is  an  instance 
of  "saving  at  the  spigot,  and  wasting  at  the  bunghole,"  characteristic  of 
some  managers.  The  extra  expense  involved  by  the  use  of  good  oil  in  suf- 


MAYO    TWIT.T.  FACE. 
FOUR   LEAF  TV^ILL,  BACK. 
FULL  DRAFT. 


ll»E««)^EIIL»ai^^j 
BBBBBBEilSRnBBBeiBI 

aa«BBelgfl5BBBB^ 

C3BEaEiC363jBEaBBggS 
BBRanfSBBlDliSBISaBBl 
BBiaRIBBGnBBBE3g«B| 
Di^iraBELIBBOB^gBBgB 
GIG«iaBQBI^fiii9raB2fl 
IHBBBGafliaQBflBBBB 

liSIEilMiiSiSgil 


/r 


// 


/c 


Waro: 

Gray   mixtures,   \(^%   lili-aclieil  whiUi 
grade  wool. 

Fining: 

Plain  black. 


iiediuii 


27!/^-Ounce  Overcoating. 


Layout: 
2,640  ends.  38  picks. 

Reed  9 — 4— 7?  1-3  inches  wide  between  listing. 
Warp: 

2.640  thr.,  2  run   13.20  oz. 

Filling: 

38  picks,  2  run   14.30  oz. 

27.50  oz 

Loom   take-up,  10%    2.75  oz, 

I  r»om    wf»ieht   30  2{>  ok. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Made  from  same  stock  as  above,  2.12Vic.  an  oz. 
Material: 
30.25  oz.  plus  15%  shrinkage. 
4.53  oz. 

34.78  oz.   @  2.121^0  $  .7390 

Manufacturing: 

38    picks   2830 

5%  a  yard  cloth  shrinkage  0540 

Mill   cost  $1.0760 


ficient  quantity  to  thoroughly  lubricate  the  fibres  will  be  more  than  over- 
come by  the  superior  quality  of  the  product  and  the  greatly  increased  yield 
of  yarn  from  a  given  weight  of  stock  laid  down  at  the  picker.  On  the  thor- 
ough performance  of  the  work  in  the  picker  room  the  success  of  subsequent 
operations  depends  very  largely.  The  superintendent  would  do  well  to  per  - 
sonally supervise  the  weighing  and  oiling  of  every  batch,  making  sure  that 
each  lot  is  made  up  exactly  as  it  should  be.  In  carding,  the  ambition  of  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSAEY  65 


overseer  should  be  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  weight  of  perfect  rdv- 
ing  from  each  lot.  The  use  of  the  adjective  is  intentional,  as  it  will  be 
readily  appreciated  that  ODly  from  perfect  roving  can  the  spinner  make  per- 
fect yarn.  Too  many  carders  are  able  to  see  but  one  process,  that  in  which 
they  are  particularly  interested,  and  are  prone  to  place  the  blame  foi*  in- 
ferior work  on  the  dyer  or  the  stock,  when,  in  many  instances,  it  belongs  in 
his  own  department.  To  obtain  perfect  cloth  it  is  absolutely  essential  that 
each  aepartment  head  work  in  harmony  with  the  others,  but  cases  are  often 
found  where  each  overseer  seems  rejoiced  to  slight  his  work  to  a  degree  not 
easily  discoverable  and  make  trouble  for  those  in  charge  of  further  proc- 
esses. It  is  especially  essential  for  the  carder  and  spinner  to  work  together, 
as  the  processes  are  related  as  closely  as  the  fingers  to  the  hand.  Production 
may  be  greatly  increased  hy  mutual  co-operation  in  these  departments.  A 
slight  change  in  the  draft  on  the  mules  will  enable  the  carder  to  secure  a 
substantial  increase  in  his  output,  while  a  change  on  the  cards  may  make 
a  material  difference  in  the  work  on  the  mules. 

The  roving  should  be  made  about  two-thirds  draft,  medium  twist  to  the 
right  in  the  warp,  with  the  filling  twisted  to  the  left.  The  installation  of 
wide  gauge  mules  with  special  long  spindles  for  spinning  warp  yarns  will 
give  a 

Considerable  Increase  of  Production 

over  the  standard  gauge  found  in  most  of  our  fancy  cassimere  mills.  One 
reason  that  so  few  are  used  is  probably  the  fact  that  it  would  cause  the 
purchasing  of  new  jack  spools  and  bobbins,  which  could  be  used  only  for 
making  warp.  This  objection  has  but  little  weight  in  fact,  as  the  danger  of 
mixing  bobbins  is  practically  negligible,  while,  when  the  same  bobbins  are 
used  for  both  warp  and  filling,  there  is  a  possibility  of  having  a  few  bobbins 
of  filling  spooled  with  the  warp,  causing  a  vast  deal  of  trouble  in  the  weav- 
ing and  finishing  departments.  The  looms  should  be  provided  with  beams 
having  extra  large  flanges,  in  this  manner  reducing  the  stoppage  incident 
to  putting  in  new  warps,  and  also  making  a  noticeable  decrease  in  the 
waste  from  thrums  and  head  ends.  Burling  and  sewing  should  be  carefully 
done,  the  pieces  then  being  taken  to  the  wet  finishing  department. 

Fulling  should  be  done  in  the  grease,  if  possible,  not  only  to  save  time, 
but  as  a  matter  of  economy  in  materials  as  well.  Scoured  fulling  involved  the 
use  of  more  soap,  and  is  not  to  be  advised  except  in  cases  where  absolutely 
necessary.  The  soap  used  should  be  a  pure  neutral  base,  as  the  necessary 
alkali  can  be  added  in  the  boiling  tank  at  a  much  less  price  than  that  paid 
for  soap.  The  best  soap  to  use  is  one  for  the  finisher  and  superintendent  to 
decide.  Some  of  our  expert  finishers  refuse  to  use  tallow  soaps  under  any 
circumstances,  while  others  think  it  impossible  to 

Get  the  Best  Results 

without  at  least  a  percentage  of  tallow  soap  in  the  fulling  mixture.  Apply 
the  soap  cold,  leaving  the  door  of  the  mill  open  until  the  soap  has  been 
taken  up  by  the  cloth,  then  close  all  doors,  examining  the  goods  from  time 
to  time  to  see  that  the  work  is  progressing  satisfactorily.  Full  to  56  inches 
in  width,  with  5  per  cent  shrinkage  in  length.  This  should  give  a  firm,  well- 
handling  cloth.  Scour  for  30  to  40  minutes  in  warm  water,  rinse  well,  ex- 
tract and  take  to  the  napping  machine.  One  or  two  light  runs  should  give 
the  nap  required,  and  the  pieces  may  then  be  dried.  Shear  off  the  long  fi- 
bres, give  a  run  on  the  steam  brush  and  a  moderate  pressing.  A  fabric  made 
la  this  manner  will  give  excellent  service  in  the  garment. 

Thia  plain  mixture  overcoating  shown  is  made  from  the  sa;m&  iStoek  and 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


size  of  yarn  as  the  novelty  just  described,  The  face  is  woven  with  the  Mayo 
twill,  the  back  with  the  regular  four-harness,  two-up-two-down  twill.  The 
greater  weight  is  obtained  by  using  a  higher  texture  in  both  warp  and  fill- 
ing. Great  care  should  be  used  in  making  the  mixtures  to  avoid  having  them 
uneven  in  appearance  in  the  finished  goods.  Manufacturing  instructions  are 
the  same  as  for  the  fancy  fabric. 


9  9 

8 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

^  2 

DRAWING-IN  DRAFT. 


FRIEZE 

This  is  a  coarse,  heavy  woolen  fabric  used  for  ulsters,  having  an  irregu- 
lar nap  and  a  somewhat  harsh  handle.  The  name  was  originally  given  to  a 
coarse  fabric  from  Friesland,  later  applied  to  overcoating  cloths  manufac- 
tured in  Ireland  from  the  coarse  native  wools,  the  common  designation  of 
the  fabric  of  late  being  'Irish  Frieze."  A  few  years  ago  a  large  percentage 
of  the  ulsters  worn  were  made  from  cloths  of  this  type,  but  at  present  the 
styles  demand  a  cloth  made  from  entirely  different  types  of  wool,  with  the 
majority  of  them  manufactured  from  chinchillas  or  other  long -napped  fab- 
rics. The  frieze,  well  made,  is  one  of  the  best  cloths  ever  produced  for 
overcoating  purposes,  its  construction,  finish  and  the  stock  used  making  it 
practically  repellant. 

Our  type  sample  was  made  from  a  very  coarse  wool  combined  with  a 
coarse  extract  and  wool  waste.  While  this  may  appear  to  the  uninitiated  to 
be  rather  illy-adapted  for  the  production  of  a  fabric  intended  to  withstand 
considerahle  hard  usage,  the  resulting  fabric  is  one  that  is  unusually  good 
value  for  the  price,  and  will  give  the  wearer  most  excellent  service  in  the 
garment.  In  order  to  obtain  the 

Greatest  Possible  Profit 

in  manufacturing  fabrics  of  this  character,  the  mill  should  be  equipped  with 
the  machinery  to  make  its  own  shoddy.  The  goods  are  very  heavy,  shoddy 
being  the  chief  constituent,  and  the  folly  of  paying  a  shoddy  manufacturer 
a  profit  on  the  major  part  of  the  stock  used  in  the  mill  is  readily  apparent, 
particularly  as  the  machinery  installation  required  is  comparatively  inex- 
pensive. At  the  present  time,  rags  may  be  purchased  graded,  ready  for  the 
picker.  The  machinery  necessary  consists  of  a  shoddy  picker,  possibly  two, 
a  lumper  and  duster.  The  power  required  is  comparatively  little,  nor  would 
-  th^  pay  roll  be  increased  to  a  great  extent.  The  rags  should  be  laid  out  for 
picking  in  the  same  manner  as  a  batch  of  wool.  Successive  layers  are  plac- 
ed on  the  floor  and  well  oiled.  Better  results  will  be  obtained  if  there  is  suf  - 
ficient  time  allowed  for  the  oil  to  thoroughly  penetrate  the  stock  before  the 
picking  operation  is  started.  After  picking,  the  stock  should  be  run  through 
tbe  Itunper  and  duster,  which  will  remove  the  bits  of  cloth  tbat  ^lave  not 


■■■■■■■■■□□a 


 ^■■■■■□□ft- 

■■■■■■■■□■■a 

■■□□□■■□□□□^ 

CHAIN. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


been  thoroughly  converted  into  fibre  by  the  picker.  When  laying  out  the 
batch  for  the  mixing  picker,  the  layers  of  stock  should  be  so  arranged  that 
the  emulsion  used  as  a  lubricant  is  applied  to  the  wool.  If  the  styles  to  be 
produced  are  solid  colors  for  piece-dyeing,  two  runs  through  the  mixing 
picker  should  be  sufficient,  but  should  it  be  desired  to  make  a  mixture  with  a 

Small  Percentage  of  White 
or  some  other  color,  great  care  must  be  observed  to  have  the  mixture  ho- 
mogeneous, and  avoid  the  blotchy  appearance  sometimes  found,  due  to  in- 
sufficient blending  in  the  picker  room. 


O 
fa 


X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

K 

K 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

r 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

J 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

/ 

J 

r 

>^ 

DRAFT. 
STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


Warp  and  Fining: 

In  aU  variations  of  mixtures,  black,  brown 
and  blue,  witli  small  percentage  of 
bleached  white. 


Layout: 

1,600  ends,  24  picks. 

Reed:  5% — 4 — 72.72"  between  listing. 

Warp: 

1,600  thr.,  1  run   16.00  o«. 

Filling: 

24  picks,  1  run  17.98  OS. 

2"  for  listing. 

33.93  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage    3.39  oz. 

Loom  weight   37.32  os. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

25%  coarse  grade  wool  @  32c.  ==  |  .0800 

60%  c'rse  grade  shoddy  @  14c.  =  .0840 

15%  wool  waste  @  10c                 =  .0150 

16)  I  .1790 

An  ounce    I  .0112 

37.32  oz.   plus  15%  shrinkage. 

Material: 

42.91  oz.  @  $.0112                           =  I  .4806 


Manufacturing: 

24  picks   

10%  shrinkage  of  cloth. 


.=  .2260 
.=  .0785 


Mill   cost   (per  yard)   $  .7850 


34-Ounce  Frieze. 


In  carding,  ordinary  care  should  produce  a  roving  that  will  give  ex- 
cellfent  results  on  the  mules,  both  in  quality  and  quantity  of  production.  The 
roving  should  be  made  about  two-thirds  draft  for  both  warp  and  filling,  spun 
to  one  run.  Much  greater  production  will  be  possible  in  the  weave  room  if 


68 


Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary 


a  warp  compressor  is  used  in  beaming  from  the  dresser  reel,  and  the  filling 
is  used  in  cop  form.  Burling  and  sewing  are  minor  items,  as  the  finish  will 
not  permit  slight  imperfections  to  show  on  the  finished  goods.  The  fulling 
Will  require  the  use  of  a  full-bodied,  long-lived  soap,  as  the  nature  of  the 
stock  used  will  prevent  rapid  felting.  It  will  probably  be  necessary  to  make 
a  fulling  soap  of  half  palm  oil  and  half  tallow  chips,  built  up  with  alkali  to 
a  str^ngth  that  will  readily  saponify  the  grease  content  of  the  pieces.  The 
goods  should  be  run  long  enough  to  thoroughly  absorb  the  soap  before  the 
tra-ps  are  let  down,  as  there  is  a  possibility  of  overshrinking  in  length  be- 
fore they  have  come  to  the  desired  width.  Full  to  56  inches  in  width  with 
10  per  cent  shrinkage  in  length.  This  should  produce  a  fabric  that  will  be 
boardy,  yet  pliable,  and  one  that  will  tailor  nicely.  To  cleanse  the  goods 
thoroughly  they  should  have  30  to  40  minutes'  treatment  in  the  washer 
with  warm  water,  then  a  rinsing,  and  another  scouring  in  warm  water  with 
fresh  soap,  followed  by  a  final  rinsing  in  cold  water.  Extract  and  give  a 
run  or  two  on  ihe  napper  in  both  directions  to  secure  a  good  cover.  Dry, 
.shear  off  the  long  hairs,  brush,  spray  and  press.  Some  of  our  best  finishers 
are  of  the  opinion  that  a  better  finish  may  be  obtained  by  giving  the  pieces 
a  few  runs  on  the 

Napper  Before  Fulling, 

which  is  possibly  true.  The  effect  desired  is  not  a  straight,  well-laid  nap,  but 
simply  a  felt  that  will  obscure  the  weave.  Napping  before  fulling  raises  the 
fibres,  which  are  subsequently  well-felted,  into  the  face  in  a  tangled  mass 
by  the  action  of  the  fulling  mill.  The  weave  here  given  is  not  used  at  all 
times,  some  of  the  higher-grade  friezes  being  woven  on  the  double -plain 
system. 


CARRIAGE  ROBES 

7:These  cloths,  as  the  name  implies,  are  used  for  carriage  robes,  blan- 
kets and  coverings.  A  very  important  feature  of  fabrics  for  such  use  is 
fastness  of  color,  as  they  are  usually  subject  to  very  severe  usage,  ex- 


14  Ounces  Finished,  54  Inches  Between  Listing. 

pc^sure  to  sunlight,  rain  and  all  kinds  of  weather  conditions.  Strength  is 
ajso  a  feature  that  must  be  considered  in  selecting  the  stocks  and  man- 
ufacturing the  yams.  The  sample  selected  for  analysis  is  one  of  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


69 


cheaper  grades,  made  from  a  mixture  of  wool,  garnetted  hard  ends  and 
waste.  The  better  grades  are  usually  composed  of  a  mixture  of  wool  and 
garnetted  waste  or  entirely  of  wool.  In  the  example  at  hand  it  would  be  . 
well  to  give  the  mixture  at  least  three  runs  through  the  mixing  picker  to 
secure  a  thoroughly  homogeneous  blend.  The  carding  of  a  mixture  such  as 
this  is  an  operation  requiring  the  attention  of  a  skilled  overseer.  Many  mills 
engage  their  overseers  on  the  principle  that  a  cheap  man  is  good  enough 
for  low  stock,  while  in  actual  fact  it  requires  skill  of  no  mean  order  to  make 
a  good  thread  from  inierior  materials.  Another  great  mistake  that  is  very 
frequently  made  is  to  require  the  carder  to  use  card  clothing  that  is  worn 
out  and  totally  unfit  for  use,  making  for  excuse  the  plea  that  the  coarse 
stock  does  not  require  the  carding  that  would  be  necessary  for  fine  yams. 

While  there  is  an  element  of  truth  in  this  contention,  it  is  nevertheless 
a  fact  that  it  is  impossible  to  secure  the  best  results  with  inferior  tools.  If 
the  carder  is  expected  to  deliver  to  the  spinning  room  roving  that  shall  be 
capable  of  being  spun  into  a  sound,  even  thread. 

It  is  Absolutely  Necessary 

that  he  be  given  card  clothing  that  will  perform  the  functions  for  which  it  is 
intended.  Many  of  us  have  gone  into  the  card  room  and  found  workers, 
strippers  and  cylinders  with  spots  as  large  as  the  palm  entirely  denuded  of 
clothing,  to  be  met  with  the  rather  shamefaced  statement  that  "they  are 
only  used  on  low-grade  yarns."  It  surely  needed  no  explanation  to  assure 
anyone  that  yarns  made  on  such  machinery  would  be  low  grade  in  more 
than  one  sense  of  the  word.  For  the  stock  mixture  used  in  our  type  of  fab- 
ric it  will  not  be  necessary  to  use  the  regular  quantity  of  oil  (four  quarts  to 
the  hundred),  in  the  picker  room,  as  the  garnetted  hard  ends  have  received 
a  considerable  quantity  of  oil  before  the  garnetting  operation.  The  emul 
sion  may  be  made  up  with  two  parts  of  water  and  one  of  oil  as  usual,  but 
instead  of  the  customary  twelve  quarts  of  emulsion  to  the  hundred,  use  but 
eight,  and  apply  the  mixture  to  the  wool.  This  may  readily  be  accomplished 
by  laying  out  the  batch  in  this  manner.  A  layer  of  garnetted  waste,  a  layer 
of  card  waste  and  a  layer  of  wool,  making  as  many  layers  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  put  up  the  batch  in  the  space  at  hand,  and  applying  the  emulsion  to 
each  layer  of  wool  in  as  nearly  equal  portions  as  is  possible.  In  the  case  at 
hand,  in  order  to  secure  a  thorough  mixing  of  the  small  percentage  of  waste, 
it  might  be  well  to  mix  this  with  the  wool  and  give  a  run  through  the  picker 
before  adding  the  garnetted  stock.  The  carder  must  use  good  judgment  in 
setting  the  various  parts  of  the  carding  machines,  and  may  find  it  necessary 
to  change  his  speeds  somewhat  if  the  cards  have  been  running  on  a  finer 
grade  of  all-wool  stock.  One  of  the  vital  features  of  carding  is  the  delivery 
of  the  greatest  possible  weight  of  well-made  roving  from  each  lot,  and  in 
order  to  accomplish  this  a  good 

Knowledge  of  Stocks  is  Essential, 
and  their  action  in  the  cards  is  a  very  important  part  of  the  carder's  equip- 
ment. One  of  the  common  causes  of  nonsuccess  in  woolen  manufacture  in 
the  past,  and,  sad  to  relate,  not  entirely  unknown  at  the  present  day,  was 
the  excessive  waste  made  in  the  various  departments,  particularly  in  the 
card  room.  It  is  obvious  to  anyone  that  if  the  manager  bases  his  yarn  costs 
on  an  estimated  production  of  90  per  cent  of  yarn  from  each  lot,  while  the 
actual  results  show  only  80  per  cent  or  less,  the  calculated  profits  are  very 
materially  reduced,  and  if  the  same  percentage  of  difference  between  es- 
timates and  results  prevail  in  other  departments,  the  balance  sheet  will  show 
a  very  substantial  loss  instead  of  the  moderate  profit  assured  by  the  es- 
timates. It  cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized  that  attention  to  details  of 
this  kind  are  absolutely  necessary,  if  any  measure  of  success  is  to  crown 
the  efforts  of  the  management.   The  roving  should  be  slightly  over  halt- 


70 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


draft  for  the  mules,  and  if  well  carded,  will  give  excellent  production  as  well 
as  a  round,  strong  thread.  The  twist  may  be  a  little  more  than  normal  for 
the  size,  as  softness  of  fabric  is  not  the  aim.  The  dressing  may  be  done  on 
a  dry  frame,  the  yarns  being  of  a  size  and  strength  that  will  insure 

Practically  Perfect  Weaving 
without  the  use  of  size.  Burling  and  sewing  should  be  practically  negligible 
items  on  fabrics  of  this  sort,  as  they  should  come  from  the  looms  with  a 
minimum  of  imperfections. 

The  fulling  should  not  require  much  time,  as  it  is  not  desired  to  felt  the 
goods  to  any  great  extent,  but  to  bring  them  out  with  a  rather  open,  lofty 
finish.  The  majority  of  finishers  prefer  to  full  these  fabrics  in  the  grease,  a 
saving  of  considerable  time,  and  a  method  of  procedure  that  should  give 
very  satisfactory  results.  When  fulled  to  the  desired  width,  wash,  dry  and 
give  only  sufficient  shearing  to  even  up  the  nap,  then  brush  and  press. 


o 


X 

X 

x| 

J 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

X 

X 

X 

•  1 

4 

X 

X 

X 

X 

r 

X 

1 

X 

X 

u 

X 

X 

1 

X 

)( 

J 

X 

X 

X 

t 

X 

X 

X 

x|  / 

/ 

z 

u 

A 

Layout:  0  i 

2,160  ends.   38  picks. 

Reed:  8—4—67.50  inches  between  the  listing. 
Warp: 

2,160  thr.,  314  run   =     6.65  oz. 

Filling: 

38  picks,  3%  run   =    7.05  oz. 

2  inches  for  listing.  ■ 

13.70  oz. 

Loom  shrinkage,   10%   1.37  " 

Loom  weight   15.07  oz. 


DRESSED  AND  WOVEN. 


4  blue. 
20  white. 

4  orange. 
20  white. 

48 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

50%  med.  grade  wool  @  40c.  lb.  ..  =  $  .2000 
40%  med.  grade  garnet  @  20c.  lb.  =  .0800 
10%  med.  grade  wh.  waste  @  12c.  lb.=  .0120 

16  )|  .2»20 

An  ounce   I  .01823 

Cost: 

 15.07  plus  15%   _  g, 

17.33  oz.  @  1.70c.                          *•*•         '  * 
Manufacturing:  38  picks  =  $  .2830 

Mill  cost,  a  yard    $  .5993 


HEAVY-WEIGHT  AUTOMOBILE  CLOAKING 

The  constantly  increasing  use  of  the  automobile  as  an  all-the -year- 
round  mode  of  conveyance  has  been  the  cause  of  no  little  activity  in  the 
carded  woolen  industry.  During  the  extremely  severe  weather  fur  coats  are 
very  largely  worn,  but  by  many  auto  enthusiasts  the  use  of  a  heavy  woolen 
garment  is  preferred.  The  most  popular  fabric  for  garments  of  this  char- 
acter is  the  heavy,  fancy-backed  cloaking  similar  in  construction  to  the  type 
of  sample  here  described  and  illustrated.  Many  of  our  woolen  mills  have 
operated  their  entire  equipment  in  the  production  of  these  cloths  for  some 
time,  and  have  found  them  to  be  very  satisfactory  profit  makers.  The  wools 
used  in  many  of  these  fabrics  have  been  of  extremely  low  grades,  and  would 
be  classed  as  carpet  wools  by  those  who  have  been  accustomed  to  work  on 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


71 


the  finer  grades  of  men's  wear  woolens.  Cloths  similar  to  that  illustrated 
are  usually  produced  from  foreign  wools,  such  as  Jorias  and  Chinas,  the 
latter  being  particularly  adapted  for  the  manufacture  of  many  styles  in 
which  the  large  percentage  of  kemp  to  be  found  in  these  wools  gives  an 

appearance  which  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  duplicate  by  the  use  of  any 
other  stock.  As  stated  in  the  article  on  double-faced  cloakings,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  so 

Unite  the  Back  and  Face 

fabrics  in  weaving  that  they  may  be  readily  separated  by  the  garment  maker 
if  he  so  desires.  This  is  accomplished  by  the  use  of  an  extra  binder  warp, 


29-Ounce  Automobile  Cloaking. 


which  has  no  other  function  than  that  of  uniting  the  two  cloths.  Were  this 
omitted  and  the  weaving  carried  on  in  exactly  the  same  manner,  the  re- 
sult would  be  two  pieces  of  cloth,  each  perfect,  and  entirely  separate  from 
on©  another.  It  may  be  asked  why  it  is  not  customary  to  weave  fabrics  in 
this  manner,  as  it  would  appear  that  weaving  two  pieces  of  cloth  at  one 
time  on  the  same  loom  would  make  a  considerable,  saving  over  the  method 
now  in  use.  The  fallacy  of  this  reasoning  becomes  readily  apparent  when 
we  consider  that,  although  the  two  fabrics  are  woven  at  the  same  instant, 
the  time  necessary  to  produce  them  on  one  loom  is  no  less,  and  in  actual 
practice  probably  more  than  would  be  required  to  weave  them  on  two 
looms.  The  further  possibility  of  a  greater  number  of  imperfections,  ow- 
ing to  the  fact  that  the  operative  could  see  but  one  of  the  cloths,  would  also 
militate  very  strongly  against  such  procedure. 

The  agitation  relative  to  the  use  of  cotton  in  woolen  fabrics  has  been 
c^nrle^  to  euch  an  ext^t  that  mmy  garment  mauufecturers  refuse  to  btiy 


72 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


any  cloths  containing  this  extremely  useful  fibre.  The  aim  of  these  mis- 
guided enthusiasts  is  very  laudable,  the  prevention  of  misrepresentation  and 

Improvement  of  Textiles, 
but  the  results  of  their  propaganda  has  been  in  many  instances  the  direct 
opposite.  As  before  stated,  the  function  of  the  cotton  binder  warp  is  sim- 
ply to  stitch  the  back  and  face  cloth  together,  showing  neither  on  race  nor 
back  of  the  fabric.  The  use  of  a  cotton  thread  for  this  purpose  in  no  way 
depreciates  the  value  of  the  cloth  as  an  article  of  apparel  and  serves  its 
purpose  as  well,  or  even  better,  than  a  woolen  or  worsted  thread,  yet  buy- 
ers would  condemn  it  as  containing  cotton.  For  that  reason,  the  greater 
part  of  the  plaid  backs  are  stitched  with  a  worsted  binder. 

In  the  manufacture  of  these  fabrics,  the  wool  to  be  used  for  the  white 
yarns  should  be  bleached,  and  also  the  white  in  the  mixture.  For  the  bleach- 
ing, select  stock  that  is  of  good  color,  free  from  stains  and  yellow  tips.  The 
method  to  be  used  in  the  bleaching  will  depend  to  a  great  extent  on  the 
facilities  at  hand.  In  the  ordinary  woolen  mill  it  is  extremely  probable  that 
no  special  apparatus  will  be  found,  and  in  that  case  a 

Clean  Dye- Kettle 

may  be  used.  The  bath  may  be  prepared  with  4  gallons  of  sodium  bisulphite, 
71-77  degrees  Twaddell,  or  21i/^  pounds  sodium  bisulphite  and  3  gallons  of 
water,  pints    sulphuric    acid    and    500    gallons    of    water.  The 

wool  must  be  thoroughly  washed  before  entering  the  bleaching  bath.  Work 
well,  so  as  to  secure  perfect  penetration  of  the  entire  mass,  and  allow  it 
to  remain  in  the  liquor  overnight  if  possible.  Draw  off,  extract  and  dry. 
This  method  will  give  excellent  results,  leaving  the  wool  in  Al  condition  for 
subsequent  operations. 

Care  must  be  taken  in  the  preparatory  processes  or  results  in  the  card- 
ing and  spinning  rooms  will  be  far  from  satisfactory.  The  roving  must 
come -  from  the  card  room  clear  and  free  from  twits,  thus  enabling  the 
spinner  to  produce  a  round,  even  thread.  The  twist  in  spinning  should  be 
slightly  under  rather  than  over  normal,  as  the  desired  result  is  a  soft,  full 
thread.  This  does  not  imply,  however,  that  the  twist  should  be  so  reduced 
as  to  affect  adversely  the  weaving  qualities  of  the  yarn.  A  very  decided 
aid  in  the  weave  room,  when  using  coarse  yarns  for  filling,  is  the  use  of 
cop  shuttles,  which  permit  of  placing  a  much  larger  supply  of  filling  in 
each  shuttle  than  is  possible  when  the  ordinary  type  of  spindle  shuttle  is 
used  and  the  filling  woven  direct  from  the  mule  bobbins.  It  will  also  be 
found  advantageous  to  build  the  warp  chain  reversed,  that  is,  risers  for 
sinkers  and  vice  versa,  throwing  the  back  of  the  cloth  on  the  top  while 
weaving,  so  that  imperfections  may  be  more  readily  seen  and  remedied  by 
the  weaver.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  fabric  is  laid  much  narrower  in  the 
loom  than  is  customary  with  the  majority  of  wool  goods,  but  as  explained 
in  a  former  article,  this  has  for  its  object  the  prevention  of  a  very  common 
defect  in  goods  of  this  character,  that  is,  the  showing  of  the  back  pattern 
on  the  face  of  the  fabric.  When  burled  and  sewed,  full  in  the  grease,  using 
a  pure,  full-bodied  soap  with  sufficient  alkali  to  freely  saponify  the  grease 

maintain  its  vitality  through  the  fulling  and  scouring  processes.  With 
a  soap  of  sufficient  detergent  properties,  there  should  be  no  necessity  for 
an  additional  supply  during  the  scouring,  but  should  there  be  any  doubt  as 
to  the 

Thorough  Cleansing  of  the  Pieces, 

-tliey  should  be  well  rinsed  and  new  soap  be  added  with  warm  water.  No 
napping  will  be  required.  The  pieces  should  be  extracted  and  dried,  with 
jxo  unnecessary  delay,  after  leaving  the  washer.  The  dry  finishing  consists 
merely  of  a  light  shearing,  brushing,  a  run  on  the  dewing  rnachine  and 
-pressing.  The  final  examination  should  be  in  charge  of  thoroughly  compe- 
vteut.hqlPi  .and  any  defieicts  due  td  carelessness  in  the  various  d^partmefnts 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GDOSSARf 


n 


called  to  the  attention  of  the  proper  authorities,  so  that  they  may  be  pre- 
vented in  the  future. 

Manufacturing  Particulars. 

II  1   .    .  1 


Dressing: 

Light  face   (j  1 

Dark  back  ... 
Light  back  ... 
Cotton  binder 


12 
6 
6 
2 


1,008 
504 
504 
168 


6.72  ounce. 
3.36  " 
3,36 

0.32  " 


Woven : 
Dark  mix  face. 
Dark  back  ..  .. 
Light  back   ..  .. 


3  times. 
1  I 


3  times.  3  times. 

1  I  .  II    12  1,176 
1  .     .         6  588 

.  I  1  (I     6      588  3.92  " 

6  times.  6  times.  24  2,352  15.68  ounce. 


3  times.  26  X  84  =  2,184  13.76  ounce. 


7.84  ounce. 
3.92  " 


Layout: 
2.184  ends,  34  picks. 
Reed:  7^-4,  5,  4  =  67.20" 


between  listing. 


COST  CALCULATION. 
75%  coarse  grade  wool  (g)  32c   =  $  .2400 


Warp : 

2,016  thr.,  1%  run  

168  thr.,  2/20  cotton. 


13.44  oz. 
00.32  " 


Filling: 

34  picks,  11/2  run......._  

Allow  2  inches  for  listmg. 


=  15.68 


10%  loom  shrinkage. 
Loom  weight   


29.44  oz. 
2.94  " 


32.38  oz. 


25%  coarse  grade  shoddy  @  14c....   =  $  .0350 

16)  $  .2750 

\n  ounce   |  .0172 

Wool:  32.03  plus  15%   =   36.86  oz. 

Cotton:  00.35  plus  157o   1=   00.40  " 

Cost: 

36.83  ounce  wool  @  1.72c   =  |  .6384 

00. 40  ounce  cotton  @  Ic   =  .0040 

Manufacturing: 

34  picks   =  .2670 


Mill  cost, 
FULL  DRAFT. 


a  yard. 


$  .9044 


O 


IBBBBiBBaBQaai  BBBBDiBBBC 

lG3BRIBQCIElCi»Cie3DBIQQEiBEiBBESBC!SQCI 
iBBBBBBBBBBBBBIDBBBBBDBBC 
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IDBEIBBBBCIBGBElEa  QBdOiaCiBGlOO 
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WEAVE. 
BDnnDnnnBDBnn 

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74 


WOOLteN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


LADIES'  DOUBLE-FACE  CLOAKING 

The  popularity  of  the  coarse  twilled  fabrics  similar  to  that  here  illus- 
trated is  apparently  on  the  wane  for  the  moment,  the  vogue  at  the  pres- 
ent time  tending  very  strongly  toward  the  imitation  fur  and  boucl6  effects. 
It  is  not  at  all  probable,  however,  that  such  fabrics  will  entirely  take  the 
place  of  the  twilled  coating  for  any  extended  period.  The  richness  of 
coloring,  the  tasteful  mixes  which  so  enhance  the  beauty  of  any  garment, 


20-Ounce  Ladies'  Cloaking. 


particularly  those  intended  for  women's  wear,  can  only  be  developed  in 
fabrics  which  do  not  primarily  rely  on  looped  effects  to  give  them  charac- 
ter and  distinction.  One  of  the  most  pleasing  effects  in  this  type  of  fabric, 
is  developed  by  means  of  using  two  strongly  contrasting  colors  in  both 
warp  and  filling,  for  the  face,  with  either  a  plain  or  a  fancy  back.  The 
lack  may  be  of  colors  which  blend  with  the  face  or  may  be  a  decided  con- 
rast,  but  due  care  must  be  observed  not  to  use  shades  which  will  offend 
-he  eye.    The  object  in  making 

Double- Faced  Fabrics 
IS  primarily  to  obtain  a  cloth  of  considerable  weight  and  warmth  that  shall 
have  the  appearance  of  a  lined  garment  when  made  up.  The  relatively 
lower  cost  of  making  up  a  coat  from  a  fabric  of  this  type  and  that  of 
producing  a  coat  from  two  cloths,  the  shell  and  the  lining,  is  apparent  to 
anyone  and  need  not  be  commented  on  at  this  time.   An  objection  to  many 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


75 


of  the  double-faced  fabrics  produced  in  former  times  was  the  fact  that  back 
and  face  were  so  thoroughly  united  in  the  weaving  as  to  render  it  a  mat- 
ter of  difficulty  to  separate  them  for  the  purpose  of  turning  the  lapels 
and  pocket  trimmings,  while  if  the  cloth  was  used  without  splitting  the 
effect  was  very  clumsy  and  unsatisfactory. 

Another  difficulty  frequently  encountered,  particularly  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  fabrics  with  strongly  emphasized  color  patterns  on  the  back,  was 
that  the  fancy  effect  on  the  back  not  infrequently  was  quite 

Distinctly  Visible  on  the  Face. 

It  is  extremely  probable  that  some  of  our  readers  have  had  experiences  of 
this  sort,  and  if  they  are  finishers  or  dyers  they  will  no  doubt  remember  very 
well  what  efforts  each  made  to  assure  the  superintendent  that  the  trouble 
did  not  originate  in  his  department.  It  is  not  at  all  improbable  that  both 
were  absolutely  right  in  their  assertions  of  innocence,  as  in  many  instances, 
when  traced  to  its  real  cause,  it  would  be  found  that  the  source  of  the  dif- 
ficulty lay  in  the  stocks  used.  In  many  cases  the  dyer  would  be  accused 
of  putting  along  colors  that  were  not  fast,  or  the  finisher  would  be  taken  to 
task  for  giving  the  pieces  improper  treatment  either  in  the  fulling  mills  or 
washer,  while,  in  fact,  each  was  obtaining  the  best  possible  results  from 
the  materials  at  hand.  The  cause  of  the  trouble  was  not  that  the  face  of 
the  fabric  was  stained  by  dyestuff  from  the  back,  but  that  the  proper  selec- 
tion of  stock  was  not  used  for  the  two  cloths.  Imperfections  of  this  sort 
are  much  more  likely  to  occur  when  making  goods  with  a  fine  face  and 
relatively  coarser  stock  for  the  back.  If  the  goods  are  laid  wide  in  the 
loom  so  as  to  require  considerable  fulling  to  bring  them  to  the  required 
width,  the  coarse  fibres  from  the  back  will  frequently  work  into  or  through 
the  face  fabric,  giving  the  appearance  of  a  stain  or  print.  This  may  be  over- 
come by 

Changing  the  Construction 

somewhat  so  as  to  require  less  fulling,  or  by  using  stocks  for  both  face  and 
back  which  have  practically  the  same  felting  properties.  In  the  sample 
analyzed,  the  stock  mixture  averages  75  per  cent  medium  wool  and  25  per 
cent  shoddy,  but  frequently  the  colors  which  it  is  desired  to  use  will  make 
a  considerable  change  of  percentages  necessary.  This  is  more  particularly 
the  case  if  the  back  is  a  fancy  pattern.  In  figuring  the  cost  of  the  line  it 
will  be  necessary  to  use  exceptionally  good  judgment,  as  in  case  the 
prices  are  based  on  the  average  cost  of  the  mixtures,  it  may  be  found  that 
the  major  part  of  the  orders  taken  are  for  the  styles  containing  the  most 
expensive  stock.  A  feature  that  will  need  particular  attention  is  evenness 
of  the  yarn  in  both  warp  and  filling.  In  the  style  illustrated  this  may  not 
be  so  essential,  but  frequently,  the  most  freely  selling  styles  in  the  range 
are  those  having  a 

Light  Warp  and  Dark  Filling. 
These  are  difficult  to  produce  in  any  grade,  even  with  the  best  of  machinery 

equipment,  and  in  the  ordinary  cassimere  mill,  where  discipline  has  become 
somewhat  lax  and  machinery  is  not  in  the  best  of  condition,  it  is  not  at 
all  unlikely  that  a  larger  proportion  of  seconds  will  be  made  than  should 
be  tolerated.  It  will  be  neccessary  to  watch  the  weight  of  the  roving  very 
carefully,  keep  the  tops  and  bottoms  separate,  not  only  in  the  spinning  but 
also  in  the  weave  room.  If  the  carder  has  not  been  accustomed  to  working 
on  the  class  of  stock  used  in  these  cloths  he  may  find  trouble  in  keeping 


76 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


his  weights  correct,  as  the  top  rings  are  prone  to  take  more  than  their  share 
of  the  stock  from  the  cylinder.  Then,  too,  the  side  ends  may  become  heavy 
or  light,  a  very  frequent  cause  of  uneven  yarn.  The  weave  room  is  often 
given  the  credit  for  producing  uneven  cloths  when  the  trouble  is  in  the 
yarn  manufacture,  though  too  often  the  carelessness  of  the  weavers  in 
changing  all  the  shuttles  at  one  time,  or  in  starting  up  after  a  pick  out, 
causes  a  "heavy  place"  which  shows  as  a  dark  streak  across  the  piece. 
Imperfections  of  this  sort  are  perhaps  more 

Difficult  to  Overcome 
on  goods  which  take  the  picks  easily  than  on  fabrics  which  require  some 
force  to  beat  them  home.  Burling  and  sewing  are  not  difficult  operations 
on  these  cloths,  as  the  looseness  of  the  weave  permits  of  removing  knots 
and  slugs  with  comparatively  little  effort  and  the  relatively  coarse,  strong 
yarn  weaves  with  a  slight  amount  of  breakage.  Fulling  is  usually  done 
in  the  grease,  and  should  be  accomplished  in  as  short  a  ti  ne  as  is  consistent 
with  good  work,  there  being  much  less  danger  of  the  back  showing  through 

on  the  face.  Full  to  58  inches  and  transfer  immediately  to  the  washer. 
Give  half  an  hour's  scouring  with  lukewarm,  not  hot,  water,  then  rinse 
thoroughly  and  dry.  The  face  will  require  no  napping,  the  back  may  or 
may  not  require  such  treatment,  depending  on  the  type  of  finish  desired. 
Should  a  napped  finish  be  required,  the  raising  should  be  done  before  the 
goods  are  dried,  as  it  may  be  accomplished  while  the  pieces  are  wet 
with  greater  ease  and  much  less  waste  of  material.  Give  a  light  shearing 
to  remove  the  long  hairs,  brush  and  press. 


iOilQBQE^QEai 


J^^\\K\0\ 

^5 


4 


Warp: 

Dark  face   1 

Back    1 

Light  face   

Back   

Filling-: 

Dark  face   1 

Back    1 

Light  face   

Back   


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


Layout: 
2,048  ends,  36  picks, 
iveed:  7^4 — 4—68"  between  listing. 

Warp : 

1,024  thr.,  2^4  run  face  4.55  oz. 

1,024  thr.,  2^  run  back  4.55  " 

Filling: 

18  picks,  2^4  run  face  5.60  *• 

18  picks,  21/4  run  back  5.60  " 

2  inches  for  listing.  20.30  oz. 

10%  shrinkage    2.03  " 

weight   ..,32,§3  QS, 


COST  CALCULATION. 

75%  med.  wool  @  44c   =   %  .3300 

25%  med.  shoddy  @  20c   =  -0500 

16)  $  .3800 
$  .0237 

Material: 

22.33  plus  15%.  ^ 

25.07    oz.    (cb    .0237c  =  $.6083 

36    picks  =  -2750 

Mill  cost    $  -8833 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


77 


IMITATIOM  ASTRACHAN 

The  astrachan  is  a  lustrous,  curly  black  fur  obtained  from  the  young 
lambs  indigenous  to  parts  of  Russia  and  Persia.  Its  extreme  beauty  and 
high  cost  has  been  the  cause  of  many  attempts  to  imitate  it  in  textiles. 
The  inventive  genius  of  the  present  generation  has  succeeded  so  well,  that 
at  the  present  time  there  are  many  textile  fabrics,  knit  or  woven,  that 


Imitation  Astrachan. 


Imitate  it  so  closely  that  a  close  scrutiny  is  necessary  to  determine  which  Is 
the  fur  and  which  the  imitation.  Many  of  the  closer  imitations  are,  Xyoveh 
by  means  of  wires,  which  raise  the  luster  yarn  in  loops  something ,  after 
the  manner  in  which  Brussels  carpets  are  woven,  while  others  depend  en- 
tirely on  ^ ' 

The  Fulling  Mill 

for  the  desired  efLect.  The  fabric  here  illustrated  and  described  is  of  the 
latter  class.  The  warp  is  made  from  a  mixture  of  wool,  shoddy  and  waste 
and  is  comparatively  inexpensive.  The  filling,  which  gives  the  characteristic 
appearance  to  the  cloth,  is  made  of  a  fine  grade  of  mohair.  Mohair,  some- 
times called  Angora  wool,  is  the  fleece  of  the  Angora  goat,  a  native  of  west- 
ern Asia,  but  now  domesticated  in  many  countries.  The  principal  source  of 
supply  is  Turkey,  and  from  that  country  comes  the  finest  mohair  obtain- 


78 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


able.  For  many  years  past,  there  have  been  some  large  flocks  of  Angora 
goats  kept  in  Texas,  and  these  are  the  source  of  almost  the  entire  domestic 
clip.  Lack  of  care,  climatic  conditions,  or  possibly  lack  of  attention  to 
breeding  may  be  responsible  for  the  fact  that  the  domestic  mohair  is  not 
equal  to  that  obtained  from  abroad. 

The  peculiarly  brilliant  luster  of  the  mohair  fibre  renders  it  particularly 
valuable  as  a  material  from  which  fabrics  may  be  constructed  in  imitation 
of  furs,  and  modern  inventions  of  appliances  for  looms  and  twisters  have 
made  it  possible  to  produce  fabrics  which,  in  the  hands  of  the  skilled  finisher, 
imitate  nature  very  closely.  New  types  of  finishing  machinery  have  been 
developed  whereby  the  peculiar  curl  to  be  found  in  the  furs  of  certain 
animals  are  reproduced  with  an  exactness  that  is  truly  wonderful.  Som« 
years  ago  mohair  was  used  to  a  certain  extent  for  the  production  of  linings 
and  dress  goods,  with  a  little  used  in  men's  wear  for  decorative  purposes, 
the  largest  users  of  the  fibre  being  the  manufacturers  of 

Plushes  and  Robes. 
In  the  recent  past  a  large  quantity  has  gone  into  cloakings  of  various  kinds. 
The  warp  is  prepared  in  the  ordinary  way,  and  dressed  dry.  The  filling 
is  made  from  a  fairly  long  staple  mohair  of  good  grade.  Care  should  b? 
taken  in  the  carding  to  preserve  the  length  of  the  staple  as  much  as  possible. 
Do  not  set  closer  than  is  absolutely  required  to  produce  a  smooth,  even 
'  roving,  which  should  be  a  trifle  over  half  draft.  Watch  the  drawing  on 
the  mule,  changing  the  draft  and  weight  of  roving  if  necessary  until  the 
desired  effect  is  obtained,  which  is  to  produce  a  thread  approximating  the 
appearance  of  worsted  as  nearly  as  possible.  The  mohair  yarn  should  be 
spooled  for  twisting,  an  operation  that  may  be  performed  either  on  the 
ordinary  type  of  ring  twister,  or,  if  the  spinning  equipment  will  permit, 
may  be  accomplished  on  the  mule.  If  the  latter  method  is  used  the  yarn 
delivery  will  need  to  be  approximately  full  draft.  The  twist  required  will 
be  but  five  or  six  turns  to  the  inch.  The  necessity  for  twisting  may  be 
questioned  by  manufacturers  accustomed  to  using  a 

Bradford  Roving  for  Filling, 

but  to  one  conversant  with  both  types  of  yarn  the  advantages  of 
twisting  the  wool  spun  thread  will  be  obvious.  A  single  thread  made  on 
the  woolen  system  would  produce  an  effect  much  more  in  the  nature  of  the 
so-called  "wool  plush,"  while  the  ply  thread  will  form  the  loop  effect  which 
gives  the  characteristic  flnish  to  astrachans. 

In  weaving,  do  not  use  more  tension  in  the  shuttle  than  is  needed  to  pre- 
vent the  filling  drawing  in,  as  the  desired  effect  is  to  have  the  filling  form 
loops  on  the  face  of  the  fabric  when  finished,  and  this  is  aided  to  a  con- 
siderable degree  if  the  filling  is  woven  a  trifie  slack.  Burling  and  sewing 
are  negligible  items  in  the  manufacture  of  astrachans,  as  the  heavy  loops  on 
the  face  of  the  goods  effectually  cover  up  any  ordinary  imperfections  that 
may  occur  during  the  weaving.  The  most  difficult  processes  connected  with 
the  production  of  such  cloths  as  the  one  here  described  are  the  fulling  and 
dyeing.  Unless  great  care  is  used  in  both  these  processes  failure  will  follow. 
In  making  piece-dyed  effects  the  pieces  should  be  scoured  and  colored  be- 
fore fulling.  Avoid  crowding  either  the  washer  or  the  dye  kettle,  as  the 
drag  on  the  pieces,  due  to  the  crowding,  may  stretch  them  in  length  and 
cause  them  to  become  narrow  without  forming  the  filling  loops  which  are 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


characteristic  of  the  fabric.  It  may  be  necessary  to  remove  the  pot  eyes 
in  the  washer  and  to  slow  up  the  reel  of  the  dye-tub  to  get  satisfactory 
results.    After  coloring  they  should  be  well  extracted  and  dried,  then  put 

Through  the  Soaping  Machine 
and  run  into  the  fulling  mills.  Examine  them  from  time  to  time  to  see  that 
mill  wrinkles  are  not  made,  a  common  defect  in  fabrics  of  this  character, 
and  also  to  make  sure  that  they  are  fulling  evenly.  Full  to  56  inches,  scour, 
extract  and  dry.  A  light  shearing  to  remove  the  long  hair  will  put  them  in 
condition  for  the  press. 


X 

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STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


28  bars,   16  harnesses. 

Use  straps  or  extra  harnesses  for  listing. 

Warp  dressed:    Plain  black. 

Woven:    1  pick  wool  and  1  pick  mohair. 

Layout: 

1,824  ends,  32  picks. 

Reed:  6 — 4 — 76"  between  listing. 

Warp: 

1,824  thr.,  2  run    =    9.12  oz. 

Filling: 

16  picks,  11^  run  wool   =    8.32  oz. 

16  picks  3-ply  mohair,  1  run..  =  12.48  oz. 


29.92  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage   =    2.99  oz. 


Loom  weight    32.91  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 
Material,  wool,  warp  and  filling: 


50%  coarse  grade  wool  @  36c... =  %  .1800 
40%  coarse  grade  shoddy  @  16c.  =  .0640 
10%  wool  waste  @  12c  =  .0120 


16)  I  .2560 


An  ounce   $  .0160 

Mohair  filling: 

Fine  grade  @56c.   =  3 Vic.  an  ounce. 

Stock: 

17  44  4-  25%  =  21.89  oz.  @  $.0160  =  $.3488 
12.48  +  25%  =  15.60  oz.  <g)  $.0350  =  .5460 

Manufacturing : 

32  picks   =  .2590 


Mill  cost    $1.1538 


WOOL  CRASH 

The  term  "crash"  as  applied  to  woolen  fabrics  is  a  misnomer,  as  the 
true  crash  is  cloth  manufactured  from  flax.  This  designation  was  applied  to 
a  certain  type  of  woolens  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  the  rough,  unfin- 
ished appearance  of  the  fabric  from  which  it  was  named.  The  typical  wool 
crash  is  a  fabric  made  from  rather  low-grade  wool,  the  yarns  well  twisted, 
with  a  somewhat  rough,  harsh  handle.  The  yarns  should  be  even  in  weight. 


80  ^  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


but  smoothness  is  not  especially  to  be  desired,  in  fact  smooth  yarns  detract 
materially  from  the  characteristic  appearance  of  the  fabric. 

An  extremely  satisfactory  stock  mixture  for  fabrics  of  this  type  may 
be  made  with  a  percentage  of  rather  short,  nibby  silk  noils  carded  with  the 


Fine12iOunceCrash. 

"vitool,  as  the  roughness  of  the  yarn,  due  to  the  imperfect  carding  of  the  noil, 
will  assist  in  giving  the  desired  appearance  to  the  finished  fabric.  The  col- 
orings which  have  met  with  the  greatest  favor  at  the  hands  of  buyers  have 
been  made  with  mixtures  containing  the  following  percentages: 

CRASH.— MIXTURES  IN  DEMAND. 
915  0/0  white  and  5  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan.  65  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan  and  35  0/0  white. 
90  0/0  white  and  10  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan.80  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan  and  20  0/0  white. 
80  0/0  white  and  20  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan. 90  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan  and  10  0/0  white. 
65  0/0  white  and  35  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan. 95  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan  and  5  0/0  white. 
0/0  white  and  50  0/0  black,  brown,  blue  or  tan. 

It  is  important  that  the  stock  be  thoroughly  mixed  in  the  picking,  so 
as  to  insure  evenness  of  color  in  the  mixture,  otherwise  the  finished  fabric 
will  have  a  decidedly  blotchy  appearance.  Especial  care  must  be  taken  in 
the  weave  room  to  see  that  the  picks  per  inch  are  not  varied,  particularly 
on  styles  requiring  the  use  of  light  warps  and  dark  filling,  as  every  heavy 
or  light  place  will  be  plainly  visible  in  the  finished  goods,  and  will  necessi- 
tate an  allowance.  The  production  of  this  class  of  fabrics  should  not  be 
undertaken  unless  the  help  have  been 

Carefully  Trained 

to  keep  the  picks  even,  and  to  make  a  start  up  after  picking  out  that  will 
not  show  in  the  form  of  a  streak  across  the  cloth.  Many  overseers  of  weav- 
ing will  not  attempt  to  weave  warps  of  this  kind  except  on  looms  with  a 
positive  take-up,  claiming  that  danger  of  imperfections  is  ^ery  much  re- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


81 


duced  by  so  doing,  while  others  just  as  stoutly  maintain  that  a  careful  weav- 
er can  produce  better  results  with  the  take-up  working  conditionally.  In 
either  case  the  human  equation  enters  very  largely  into  the  results  obtain- 
ed. Burling  and  sewing  should  be  small  items  in  the  production  cost  of 
crashes,  as  the  yarns  if  well  made  should  weave  with  a  minimum  of  break- 


15!/^-0unce  Crash. 

age.  More  trouble  is  to  be  anticipated  in  the  weave  room,  probably,  from 
knots  slipping,  owing  to  the  slippery  nature  of  the  stock  than  from  actual 
breakage  of  the  yarn.  This  difficulty  may  be  very  largely  overcome  by  care- 
ful attention  to  the  method  of  tying  the  ends  employed  by  the  spoolers. 
The  fabrics  should  not  be  laid  wide  enough  in  the  loom  to 

Require  Much  Fulling, 
as  to  obtain  the  desired  finish  the  structure  of  the  thread  should  not  be 
broken  up  to  any  extent.  The  fulling  is  usually  done  in  the  grease,  and 
scouring  should  immediately  follow,  no  additional  soap  being  required  if 


DIRECTION  OK  LAYOUT  FOR  12%  OZ.  FIN- 
ISHED CRASH. 
1.920  ends,  30  picks  per  Inch. 
Reed  number:  14-2  in  dent— 68.   40  Inches  be- 
tween listing. 

Warp:  1,920  ends,  314  run   5.90  ounce 

Filling:  30  picks,  3^  run   6.80  " 


12.70  " 

10%  loom  shrinkage   1.27  " 


C2qual   loom   13.97 


COST  CALCULATION. 
13.97  ounce  material  plus  15%  shrinkage. 
13.97  ounce. 
2.U9  " 

16.06  ounce  material. 
Price  of  wool:  40  cents  a  pound, 
or  2V^  cents  an  ounce. 

16.06  material    @   2i^c.....  =  $  .4415 

Manufacturing:    30   picks  =  .2500 


Cost  per  yard  to  the  mill....      $  .6915 
STRAIGHT  DRAW. 
Weave    plain    on    eight-harness    to  avoid 
too  many  heddles  on  one  harness. 


82 


WOOLEN  And  worsted  fabrics  GLossAttir 


that  used  in  fulling  has  been  properly  made.  Care  must  he  taken,  however, 
to  thoroughly  remove  the  dirt,  and  all  traces  of  soap  must  be  eradicated. 
After  drying,  brush,  shear  and  press. 


SECOND  GRADE  OF  CRASH. 

Made  of  medium  grade   of   wool,    15   to  16 

ounce  finished. 
1,080  ends,   18  picks;  reed  8 — 2 — 67  V2  inches 

between   the   list;    6/4  finished. 
Warp:  1,080  ends,  IV2  run...  7  20/100  ounce 
Filling:   18  picks,  1 1/2   run...  8  34/100 


15  55/100 

10%   shrinkage    1  55/100 


Equal    loom    weight  17.1  " 

COST  CALCULATION. 
Medium  wool:  40c.  lb.  or  2V2C.  oz. 
Material:    17.1   oz.    +    10%  shrink- 
age  ==  18.8  oz. 

18.8  oz.    @   21/^c  =  47c. 

Manufacturing:    18    picks  =  20.3c. 

Mill    cost    67.3c. 

Woven  on  4-harness  straight  draw. 


X 

X 

u 

X 

X 

X 

X 

t 

4= 

K 

X 

/ 

J 

X 

X 

/ 

/ 

12  Ounce  Nub  Cloaking  Crash. 

THIRD  GRADE  OF  CRASH  WITH  NUBS. 


design. 


Lady's  spring  cloak:  IIV^  to  12  ounce;  use  medium  grade  of  wool,  and  25%  Kandahar. 

'  .  gj^^g      picks  reed  S^^— 1— 70"  6-4. 


Warp  and  filling:  %  dra'ft  hard  twist. 

BETWEEN  THE  LISTING. 

Warp:  GOO  ends  1  run   6  ounce 

Filling:  10  picks  1  run  7.2  " 


12.2 

10%  shrinkage    1.3 

Equpl   loom   weight  14^^ 

Cost:  757c  medium  wool,  40c...  =  $  .3000 


25%  Kandahar,  32c. 


I  ..?800 
.0800 


16)$  .3800($  .02-- 
32 

"eo 

48 


375 
1000 


Material:  16  ounces  @ 
Manufacturing:    12  picks.... 


120 

.  .=  $  .400 
.135 


Mill  cost 


$  .535 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


83 


JUVENILE  SUITS  AND  TROUSERS 

There  are  a  number  of  mills  making  a  specialty  of  fabrics  for  the  ju- 
venile trade,  the  styles  used  for  children's  suits  not  being  adapted  to  men's 
wear,  nor  are  the  styles  and  fabrics  in  the  men's  wear  line  usually  such  as 
appeal  to  makers  of  clothing  for  children.  In  general,  it  may  be  said  that 
fabrics  for  the  juvenile  trade  are  made  from  coarser  wools  and  heavier 
yarns  than  the  cloths  in  demand  by  their  elders.  The  fabrics  here  described 
are  typical,  both  in  style  and  construction,  meeting  with  a  ready  sale  and 
showing  a  satisfactory  profit  to  the  manufacturer.  The  fabrics  are  usually 
of  rather  low  texture,  both  warp  and  filling,  with  but  little  fulling  and  fin- 
ished fairly  close.  The  styles  in  demand  vary  from  year  to  year,  as  do 
those  in  other  divisions  of  the  market,  but  there  are  not  the  great  differ- 


x| 

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X 

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X 

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X 

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k 

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>; 

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X 

X 

A 

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✓ 

FANCY  DRAW. 


Warp: 

In  light  mixes. 

Stripe  with  silk  threads. 
FiUing: 

Dark  solid  color  or  mixtures. 


12-Ounce  Juvenile  Suiting. 


ences  either  in  style  or  construction  that  are  to  be  found  in  men's  wear. 
They  are  made  in  a  wide  range  of  colorings,  with  decorations  of  various 
kinds.  In  recent  seasons,  stripes  of  different  widths  have  been  popular,  one 
of  the  most  favored  decorations  being  a  few  threads  of  silk  noil  yarn  in 
white  or  colors.  Some  time  ago  the  plain  mixture  effects  were  leaders, 
while  another  season's  best  sellers  may  be  the  so-called  "nub  crash,"  a  fab- 
ric woven  with  a  plain  weave  from  yarns  containing  wool  nubs.  The  fabrics 
illustrated  are  made  from  a  stock  mixture  of  50  per  cent  medium-grade  wool, 
40  per  eent  medium-grade  shoddy  and  10  per  cent  waste.  This  stock  mix- 
ture spun  to  the  size  required,  (S^^  run),  should  produce  a  strong,  smooth 
yarn  that  will  give  an  excellent  production  in  the  weave  room,  with  satis- 
factory results  in  finishing.  There  is  much  less  opportunity  for  the  designer 
to  display  his  ability  in  weave  combination  on  fabrics  of  tbis  character  than 
would  be  the  cai-:e  were  dress  goods  the  product  of  the  mill.  The  opportuni- 
ties offered  here  are  those  pertaining  to  the  m.anipulation  of  stocks  and  the 
tasteful  blending  of  colors  in  producing  a  range  of  mixtures  that  shall  be  at 
the  same  time  harmonious  and  distinctive.  In  order  to  produce  colors  that 


84 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


are  bright  and  clear  it  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  wools  be  carefully 
scoured,  free  from  the  natural  grease  or  smut  that  envelops  the  fibre  in  its 
original  state.  Unless  this  is  entirely  removed  in  the  scouring,  subsequent 
operations  are  performed  with  difficulty.  The  dyer  will  find  it  absolutely 
impossible  to  secure  clear,  bright  shades  on  dirty  wool,  the  carding  will  re- 


 — ^  

; 

f 

   1 

J 

J 

3 

k 

Z 

^ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

^  V 

k7 

1^ 


3  times. 


suit  in  twitty  yarn,  while  the  cards  themselves  will  be  filled  with  a  sticky 
mass  of 

Combined  Grease  and  Short  Fibre, 

which  will  make  life  a  burden  to  the  strippers,  and  cause  the  overseer  to 
wonder  why  he  ever  was  so  senseless  as  to  learn  that  particular  branch  of 
the  business.  The  great  importance  of  the  scouring  process  seems  to  be 
entirely  lost  sight  of,  if  we  are  to  believe  the  evidence  of  our  eyes  and  sense 
of  touch.  The  scourer,  in  some  instances,  seems  to  think  that  removing  the 


X 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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< 

X 

a 

^ 

J* 

r 

FANCY  DRAW. 

Wa  r-^ : 

Light  mixes  for  stripes 
with  double  and  twist 
silk  noil  and  black  12 
turns  to  one  inch. 


12-Ounce  Juvenile  Panting. 


larger  portion  of  the  impurities  from  the  wool  is  all  that  is  required,  and 
unless  watched  carefully  is  apt  to  slight  the  work,  particularly  if  the  old 
soaking  tub  and  rinse  box  are  used.  Possibly  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


S5 


as  in  many  cases  the  operative  is  poorly  paid,  speaks  but  little  English,  if 
any,  and  has  not  the  slightest  idea  of  the  extreme  importance  of  the  work 
in  which  he  is  engaged.  The  temptation  to  slight  the  work  is  not  as  great 
in  mills  where  mechanical  wool  washers  are  used,  but  the  installation  of 
modern  machinery  is  not  all  that  is  required  in  order  to  obtain  satisfactory 
results.  The  detergents  used  must  be  pure,  and  above  all,  suited  to  the  par- 
ticular type  of  wool  to  be  cleansed.  The  scouring  bath  that  will  give  excel- 
lent results  on  one  grade  of  wool  may  be  altogether  unfitted  for  use  on  an- 
other grade.  The  liquor  must  be  changed  to  conform  with  the 

Requirements  of  the  Stock 

to  be  cleansed.  One  of  the  most  frequent  causes  of  injury  to  the  stock  in 
the  scouring  is  excessive  heat,  making  the  wool  harsh  and  brittle.  The 
scouring  bath  should  under  no  circumstances  be  allowed  to  become  warmer 
than  120  to  130  degrees  Fahrenheit,  a  higher  temperature  than  this  being 
very  harmful  to  the  fibre.  Drying  wool  would  appear  to  be  an  operation  so 
extremely  simple  that  one  could  not  possibly  make  any  mistake  there.  That 
great  injury  may  be  done  the  stock  during  drying  has  been  proven  in- 
numerous  times  in  the  experience  of  nearly  all  mill  managers.  The  best 
method  as  yet  devised  for  drying  wool  is  the  cold  air  system.  This  requires 
more  time  and  a  larger  equipment  of  drying  tables  than  many  mills  have 
room  for,  but  the  superior  results  obtained  justify  the  use  of  the  system 
wherever  at  all  practicable.  The  installation  required  consists  of  racks  cov- 
ered with  wire  netting  to  hold  the  wool,  the  bottom  part  boxed  in  as  nearly 
air-tight  as  possible  and  connected  with  a 

Powerful  Fan, 

which  forces  air  up  through  the  layer  of  wool  on  the  screen,  or  exhausts 
the  air  from  underneath,  in  this  way  inducing  a  current  of  air  down  through 


the  wool.  The  former  method  is  the  most  approved,  as  it  leaves  the  wool  in 
a  more  lofty,  open  condition.  Fabrics  of  this  type  are  invariably  stock-dyed, 
as  few  or  practically  no  juveniles  are  made  in  solid  colors.  The  dyer  should 
use  discretion  in  boiling  the  stock  for  coloring,  as  severe  boiling  felts  the 
stock  and  makes  it  both  tender  and*  brittle,  causing  a  great  amount  of  waste 
in  subsequent  operations,  particularly  in  the  carding.  See  that  the  stocks 
are  thoroughly  blended  in  the  picker  room  and  have  sufficient  oil  to  insure 
thorough  lubrication  during  the  carding  and  spinning.  The  carding  of  stock 
such  as  is  used  in  the  type  samples  should  present  no  difficulty  if  the  stocks 
have  been  carefully  handled  in  the  preparatory  processes.  The  roving  should 
be  made  two-thirds  draft,  spun  right  twist,  forming  a  smooth,  round  thread 
that  will  be  strong  and  elastic.  No  splicing  should  be  allowed  in  spinning; 
all  broken  ends  must  be  tied  to  insure  good  weaving.  The  spoolers  should 
be  taught  to  tie  a  knot  that  will  not  slip  on  the  dresser  or  in  the  loom.  Pro- 
duction will  be  greatly  increased  if  attention  is  paid  to  these  seemingly  un- 
important details,  and  much  valuable  time  will  be  saved  in  the  finishing 
room.  Weaving  will  be  a  pleasure  with  well-made  warp  and  filling,  and  the 
looms  should  easily  attain  a  production  equal  to  8^0  per  cent  of  the  theoreti- 
cal possibility.  This  may  seem  rather  more  than  should  be  expected  with 


86 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


warp  and  filling  of  the  stock  and  size  described,  but  mill  experience  in  many 
cases  has  proven  this  to  be  a  very  conservative  estimate.  Burling  must  be 
well  done,  the  knots  carefully  raised,  slugs  and  foreign  matter  removed  so 
far  as  possible.  There  should  be  practically  no  sewing  required,  except  pos- 
sibly a  broken  pick  occasionally,  as  the  warp  should  be  strong  enough  to 
weave  with  a  minimum  of  breakage.  Run  the  pieces  into  the  mills  two  on 
each  side,  start  the  mills  and  apply  the  soap 

In  a  Semiliquid  State, 
just  warm  enough  to  flow  through  a  two-inch  spout  which  has  been  attach- 
ed to  an  ordinary  watering  can.  Open  the  top  of  the  mill  and  apply  the 
soap  just  as  the  pieces  enter  the  rolls.  This  will  secure  an  even  distribu- 
tion of  the  soap,  if  no  soaping  machine  is  at  hand.  These  goods  require  no 
felt  and  should  be  brought  out  as  quickly  as  possible,  placed  in  the  washer 
without  unnecessary  delay,  and  thoroughly  scoured  with  warm  water.  Half 
an  hour's  scouring  should  float  the  grease  and  dirt,  so  that  it  may  be  rinsed 
out  without  trouble.  Should  there  be  any  doubt  as  to  the  absolute  cleans- 
ing of  the  goods,  give  another  scour  with  fresh  soap,  as  dirty  goods  are  one 
of  the  most  unfortunate  things  that  can  occur,  and  usually  inexcusable.  Ex- 
tract and  dry,  shear  fairly  close,  brush,  spray  and  press. 


Layout : 
^040  ends.  30  picks. 

Reed:    7i/^ — 4—68  inches  between  listing. 
Warp: 

2,040  thread,  31/2  run  5.83  0%. 

Filling: 

30  picks,  2V2  run   6.00  oz. 

Allow  2  inches  for  listing.   

11.83  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage   1.18  oz. 


Equal  loom  weight  13.01  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 


50%  medium  grade  wool  @  44c   =  |  .2200 

40%  medium  grade  shoddy  @  20c....  =  .0800 
10%  medium  grade  wool  waste  @  12c.   =  .0120 


16  )  $  .3120 


An  ounce   $  .0195 

Material: 
13.01  plus  15%. 

14.96  ozs.  @  1.95c   =   $  .2517 

Manufacturing: 

30  picks    «=  .2500 


Mill  cost,  a  yard    $  .5417 


HOMESPUN 

Fabrics  of  this  kind  are  usually  made  from  a  medium  grade  of  wool,  to 
imitate  as  closely  as  possible  the  product  of  the  old  spinning  wheel  and 
hand  loom.  The  wools  from  which  these  are  made  should  be  of  fairly  long 
staple,  thoroughly  scoured,  and  free  from  all  vegetable  matter.  In  the  card 
room  it  may  be  necessary  for  the  carder  to  change  his  speed  and  to  vary 
the  setting  of  the  various  parts  of  the  card,  and  in  this  way  he  will  be  able 
to  imitate  quite  closely  the  rough  thread  as  spun  by  hand.  The  roving  should 
be  made  so  as  to  allow  half  draft  on  the  mule,  which  will  give  a  strong  round 
thread,  insuring  excellent  results  in  the  weave  room  in  the  way  of  produc- 
tion, with  a  minimum  of  work  in  the  sewing  department.  Many  of  the  most 
popular  of  these  cloths  are  made  with  a  white  warp  and  a  dark  filling, 
which  is  an  extremely  difficult  pattern  to  produce  perfectly.  Every  effort 
should  be  made  to  see  that  the  beams  are  perfectly  true,  that  the  whip  roll 
revolves  easily  in  its  sockets,  and  that  the  take-up  is  in  perfect  working  or- 
der. Many  loom  fixers  are  of  the  opinion  that  better  results  can  be  obtain- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


8? 


ed  by  the  use  of  the  old-style  conditional  take-up  on  work  of  this  kind,  but 
in  most  cases  it  will  be  found  that  the  use  of  the  positive  take-up  either  of 
the  ratchet  ring  or  the  worm  gear  type  will 

Produce  Better  Results. 
When  the  warp  is  ready  to  be  put  in  the  loom,  new  friction  bands  should  be 
placed  on  the  beam  heads,  which  have  been  well  sprinkled  with  powdered 
graphite.  Attention  to  these  details  will  do  much  toward  producing  perfect 
cloth.  Burling  and  sewing  on  fabrics  of  this  kind  should  be  very  inexpensive 


10-Ounc€  Homespun. 


items.  With  well-made  yarns  the  warp  should  run  practically  day  in  and 
day  out,  without  any  breaking.  Prom  the  sewing  room  the  goods  should  be 
taken  to  the  wet  finishing. 

On  goods  of  this  type  and  weight  it  is  absolutely  essential  that  a  soaping 
machine  should  be  used.  Without  this,  it  is  practically  impossible  to  se- 
cure an  even  distribution  of  the  soap,  and  unless  every  part  of  the  piece  is 
soaped  evenly,  uneven  fulling  will  be  the  result.  Full  to  54  inches,  which 
should  not  take  more  than  30  minutes,  transfer  immediately  to  washer,  scour 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


thoroughly,  and  dry  as  soon  as  possible.  Brush  and  shear  lightly,  siiii;)lv 
removing  the  long  hairs,  give  a  light  steaming,  and  press. 


Weave  very  even  so  that  the  twill  may 
show   perfectly  clear, 
i^ayoui . 

2.160  ends.   40  picks. 

Keed  8 — 4—68  inches  between  listing. 
Warp: 

2,176  thr.,  5  run   =   4.35  oz. 

Filling: 

40  picks,  5  run   =     5.52  oz. 


9.87  oz. 

10%    shrinkage  98  oz. 


Loom    weight  10.86  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 
Medium  wool  40  cent  =  2^c.  oz. 
13  ounce  material  with  15%  shrinkage   =  $  .2121 
Manufacturing: 

40  picks  at  9  mills   =  .36 

Mill   cost,   a   yard   =  $  .572] 

14  TO  15  OUNCE  HOMESPUN. 

2,176  ends,  40  picks,  reed  8—4—68  inches  between 

listing. 
Warp: 

2,160  thr.,   3^5  run   6.20  oz. 

Filling: 

40  picks,  31^  run  7.9  oz. 

14.10  oz. 
  1.41 


Shrinkage,  10%   

ilqual  loom   weight  15.51  oz 


X 

>< 

X 

X, 

K 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

K, 

X 

X 

K 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

t 

X 

/ 

/ 

v/ 

J- 

/ 

Full  Drait. 


COST. 

40  @  lb.  medium  wool  =  2%c. 

15%  shrinkage  =  1.783  oz.  @  2y2C.  =  .$ 

Manufacturing: 

40    picks   = 


,4457 
,2910 


Mill  cost,   a  yard. 


$  .7367 


ULSTER  OR  OVERCOATING  CLOTH 

The  fabric  here  illustrated  is  made  from  medium  grades  of  wool  and 
shoddy  and  finished  with  a  considerable  nap,  which  is  well  brushed  and  laid 


32-Ounce  Ulster  Cloth. 


straight,  resembling  somewhat  a  zibeline,  but  without  its  luster.  The  fabric 
is  of  relatively  low  texture,  having  but  2,400  end?-  and  48  picks.  It  is  con- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


89 


structed  with  an  extremely  loose  weave,  an  eight  harness  filling  plush  satin, 
both  face  and  back.  In  order  to  obtain  the  best  results,  it  is  necessary  that 
the  stock  should  be  carefully  mixed  at  the  picker  and  well  carded.  The 
roving  may  be  made  two-thirds  draft,  insuring  the  production  of  a  full, 
round  and  elastic  thread.  Warp  should  be  twisted  to  the  right,  and  the  filling 
spun  left  twist.  Fabrics  of  this  type  are  usually  woven  in  the  grey  for 
piece-dyeing,  or  in  a  variety  of  mixtures.  If  the  mixtures  are  to  be  black 
and  white,  the  white  should  be  bleached,  which  is  an  extremely  simple 
process,  and  may  be  carried  on  without  the  use  of  any  special  apparatus. 
The  method  in  general  use  in  fancy  cassimere  mills  is  to  use  a  clean  dye- 
tub  filled  with  clean,  cold  water.  The  bleaching  bath  is  made  up  of  60 
pounds  bisulphite  of  soda  and  10  pounds  oil  of  vitriol.  Put  300  pounds  of 
wool  in  the  tub  and  let  it  stand  all  night.  In  the  morning  draw  off  the  tub, 
extract  and  dry  the  wool,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

In  making  mixtures  containing  a  small  percentage  of  the  white  it  may 


m 

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STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


layout: 
2,400  ends.  48  picks. 
Reed:  8—4—75"  between  listing. 

Warp: 

2.400  thr.,  2%  run   10.68  oz. 

Pining: 

48  picks,  \%  run   21.10  oz. 


31.76  oz. 

l>oom  take-up,  10%    3.17  oz. 


Weave : 
Eight  harness. 
Doskln  weave. 


(Filling). 


Warp  and  Filling; 
In  solid  colors,  as  black,  blue,  brown  and 
in  all  kinds  of  mixes.    If  white  wool  Is  used 
bleach  same   according  to  instruction*  glveu 
below. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

60%  med.  grade  wool  @  44c   =  $  .2640 

20%  med.  grade  shoddy  @  18c   =  .0360 

20%  med.  grade  wool  waste  @  10c. .   =  .0200 

18)  $  .3200 


An  ounce   $  .0200 

34.93  oz.  plus  15%  shrinkage  

5.23  oz. 


40.16  oz.  (g)  2c. 


Manufacturing: 
48  picks 
5%      •  • 


r=      $  .8032 


cloth  shrinkage. 
Mill  cost   


,mm  .8240 

.-^  .0600 


$1.1872 


T^>m  weight   84.93  oz. 

be  found  beneficial  to  mix  an  equal  quantity  of  black  with  the  white  and 
run  this  through  the  mixing  picker  first,  then  add  this  mixture  of  black  and 
white  in  proper  proportions  to  the  balance  of  the  batch.  In  this  way  a  much 
more  even  mix  can  be  secured.  Mixtures  containing  less  than  20  per  cent 
of  any  given  color  should  have  at  least  three  runs  through  the  mixing  picker 
or  the  resulting  mixture  is  very  liable  to  appear  blotchy  in  the  goods. 

Warps  May  Be  Dressed  on  a  Dry  Frame, 
as  nd'  size  will  be  needed.  The  size  of  the  yarn  and  the  few  interlaciiigs  of 


90 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  weave  will  easily  stand  any  strain  that  will  normally  be  placed  on  it. 
The  hurlers  should  be  instructed  to  raise  all  knots  and  clip  the  ends  off, 
leaving  them  sufficiently  long,  so  that  during  fulling  they  will  not  draw  back 
into  the  goods  and  leave  pin  holes.  There  should  be  practically  no  sewing  on 
a  fabric  of  this  kind.  For  fulling  use  a  full-bodied,  pure  palm  oil  soap,  forti- 
fied with  sufficient  alkali  to  thoroughly  saponify  the  grease  contained  in  the 
goods.  Full  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  do  not  attempt  to  secure  much  felt. 
Scour  thoroughly,  extract  and  place  on  the  napper.  If  a  wire  napper  is  used, 
this  operation  will  take  only  a  very  short  time,  but  if  the  operation  is  per- 
formed on  the  old-style  teasel  gig  it  will  require  six  to  ten  runs  to  get  the 
desired  amount  of  nap.  After  napping,  give  three  or  four  runs  on  the  wet 
brush,  extract  and  dry.  Shear  off  only  the  long  hairs  and  give  a  light 
pressing. 


RUSSIAN  TWILL  DRESS  GOODS 

Twill  dress  goods  are  usually  made  from  a  fine  grade  of  wool,  woven 
in  the  white  and  piece -dyed  into  the  various  shades,  as  taste  and  fashion  de- 
mand. The  yarn  is  spun,  both  warp  and  filling,  right  twist,  the  goods  are  fin- 
ished with  no  endwise  shrinking,  and  are  sheared  out  clean  so  as  to  show  the 
twill.  Very  satisfactory  fabrics  of  this  type  may  be  made  from  either  pulled 
or  shorn  wools.  The  fabric  here  described  was  made  from  a  nice  half-blood 


8-Ounce  Dress  Goods. 


territory.  The  wool  should  be  carefully  sorted,  all  paint  and  burs  clipped 
out,  and  scoured  with  a  pure  potash  soap.  When  dry,  the  wool  may  be  taken 
to  the  picker  house,  given  12  quarts  of  an  emulsion  made  up  of  two  pails 
of  ivater  to  one  pail  of  oil  and  saponified  with  borax  or  some  other  mUd 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


91 


alkali.  One  run  through  the  mixing  picker  should  be  sufficient.  The  cards 
must  be  in  No.  1  condition,  set  rather  closely  and  kept  thoroughly  clean. 
The  roving  should  be  made  half  draft,  which 

Will  Insure  a  Good  Production 

from  the  cards  and  enable  the  spinner  to  produce  a  smooth,  round,  strong 
thread.  On  yarns  as  fine  as  used  in  this  fabric  it  will  be  advisable  to  use  a 
fairly  heavy  size.  Many  mill  managers  will  take  exceptions  to  this  method 
of  procedure.  An  experience  of  many  years  on  a  variety  of  goods  has  con- 
vinced the  writer  that  it  is  possible  to  secure  a  much  greater  production 
from  the  weave  room  if  warps  are  sized  when  the  yarns  are  finer  than  5i/^ 
run.  It  not  only  insures  better  running  work  in  the  weave  room  but  also 
eliminates  much  of  the  sewing  due  to  broken  threads.  Full  to  56  inches  and 
transfer  immediately  to  the  washers.  When  thoroughly  clean,  the  goods  may 
be  taken  to  the  dyehouse  without  extracting  or  drying.  Dyeing  is  carried  or 
in  the  ordinary  form  of  piece-dye  kettle  in  which  the  goods  pass  over  a  reel 
and  are  alternately  in  and  out  of  the  dye-liquor.  When  the  correct  shade 
has  been  attained,  cool  off  the  pieces  in  the  tub,  rinse,  extract  and  dry.  The 
dry-finishing  operation  on  fabrics  of  this  type  is  very  simple.  After  a  run  on 
the  brush,  they  should  be  sheared  rather  closely,  given  a  run  on  the  steam 
brush  and  pressed. 


Layout: 

6 

3,000  ends,  36  picks  —    =    56"  finished. 
4 

Reed:  10^ — 4 — 71"  between  listing. 
V7arp: 

3,000  ends,  7  run    4.29  oz. 

FUlIng: 

36  picks,  6  run   4.50  oz. 

2"  for  listing. 


8.79  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage  0.87  oz. 


Loom  weight   9.66  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 
9.66  oz.  plus  15%  shrinkage  =  11.10  oz. 
fine  wool. 

Material : 

56c.  fine  grade  wool  at  3%c.  an  ounce. 

11.10  oz.  @  3V^c   =  $  .3885 

Manufacturing: 

36    picks    =  $  .2750 


Mill  cost  (per  yard)   $  .6635 


X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

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r 

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DRAFT. 


TWEEDS 

The  tweed  is  said  to  have  received  its  name  as  the  result  of  an  error 
in  attempting  to  read  the  handwriting  of  an  old  Scotchman  who,  as  a  result 
of  having  some  tender  yarn  in  the  mill,  doubled  the  threads,  twisted  them, 
dressed  a  warp,  which  he  wove  in  single  filling,  and  sent  the  finished  fabric 
to  his  London  factor.  In  his  letter  he  stated  that  he  was  sending  some 
tweels,  which  he  hoped  might  meet  with  a  ready  sale.  In  reading  the  letter, 
the  sales  agent  mistook  the  word  tweel  for  tweed,  and  advertised  the  goods 
extensively  as  something  new.  They  immediately  took  the  popular  fancy, 
resulting  in  some  very  satisfactory  orders,  and  these  orders  went  down  to 
the  mill,  marked  "Scotch  Tweeds." 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


12-Ounce  Spring  Suiting. 

In  its  construction,  the  tweed  is  somewhat  similar  to  a  cheviot,  being 
of  relatively  low  texture,  and  not  closely  finished.  The 

Chief  Point  of  Difference 
lies  in  the  fact  that  tweeds  are  invariably  made  with  a  two-ply  warp,  some- 

BROKEN  TWILL  HERRINGBONE. 


Layout: 

1,728  ends,  34  picks. 

Reed  6^—4—66.  46  inches  between  listing 
Warp: 

1,728  thr.,  514  run.  double  twist.. 
Filling: 

34  picks,  4  run  

12  inches  for  listing:. 


Loom  weigrht   13.28  oz 

Warp: 

Double  twist.  12  turns  to  the  inch. 
Filling: 
Plain  black  with  decoration. 


50%  fine  wool  ( 
507o  med.  wool  1 


MATERIAL. 
$  .0056   =    $  .2800 
.0040   =  .2000 


16)$  .4800 

Finished  loom  length,  an  oz.  $  .0300 

COST  CALCULATION. 
n.28  ozs.  plus  1.5%  =  15.27  ozs.  @  3c. 
Manufacturing: 

34  picks   

For  twisting   


X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/4 

6.28  oz. 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/r 

5.80  oz. 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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/k 

12.08  oz.  - 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

1.20  oz. 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

13.28  oz 

X 

K 

X 

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X 

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X 

// 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

/o 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

>< 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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K 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

f 

!^ 

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/ 

$  .4581 

.2670 
.0500 

/ 

^ 

7 

J 

/ 

/ 

/ 

Mill  cost,  per  yard. 


$  .7751 


2  Time*. 


2  Times  =  32. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  S)2 

times  with  two-ply  filling,  but  more  frequently  the  filling  is  single.  The  ma- 
jority of  these  fabrics  are  made  from  medium  grades  of  wool,  usually  ot 
quarter-bloods  spun  to  about  four  run  and  doubled  with  about  eight  turns 


16-Ounce  Fall  Suiting. 


to  the  inch.  The  warp  yarn  should  be  spun  about  half  draft  and  made  as 
smooth  as  possible.  Weaving  of  tweeds  should  give  an  excellent  production, 
as  the  warp  yarns  are  strong  and  should  weave  with  practically  no  breaks 
whatever.  The  single  filling  is  somewhat  heavier  than  the  original  thread 
spun  for  the  warp,  but  seldom  is  m.ade  as  heavy  as  the  resulting  warp  twist. 
After  burling  and  sewing,  the  goods  should  be  fulled  for  a  short  time,  as 
no  felt  is  necessary.  Scour  thoroughly  with  a  full-bodied  neutral  soap,  and 
rinse  well.  After  drying,  place  on  the  steam  brush,  then  shear  to  what  is 
termed  a  semifinish.  Press  hard  and  give  a  run  on  brush  before  rolling  up. 


Layout : 

1.400  ends.  24  picks. 
Reed  10^—2—66,  66  inches  between  listing. 
Warp: 

1.400  thr.,  3%  run,  double  twist  8.00  oz. 

Filling: 

24  picks,  2  run   8.24  oz. 

Two  inches  for  listing. 


16.24  oz. 

10%  for  loom  shrinkage   1.62  oz. 


Loom  weight   17.86  oz. 

Warp: 

Double  twist.  8  to  9  turns  to  the  Inch. 
Filling: 

Plain  black,  with  twist  decoration. 


Material: 

Medium  grade  wool  @  $  .44  =  .0275  an  ounce, 

COST  CALCULATION. 
17.86  oz.  plus  15%  =  20.53  oz.  @  $  .0275  =  $  .5645 

Manufacturing: 

24    picks   =  .2260 

For   twisting   =  .0500 

Mill  cost,  per  yard   $  .8405 


94  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

COMBINATION:   4  HARNESS  TWILL  AND  BASKET  HERRINGBONE. 


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LADIES'  SUITINGS 

Fabrics  of  this  type  may  be  made  from  good  A  super  wools  or  from  ar 
equivalent  grade  of  territories.  The  use  of  A  super  is  to  be  preferred,  ir 
the  styles  in  demand  are  mixtures,  as  the  pulled  wools  are  less  Inclined  tc 
prove  specky,  and,  as  a  general  thing,  are  freer,  making  a  more  homoge- 
neous mixture,  free  from  the  blotchy  appearance  so  frequently  seen  even 
in  high-priced  cloths.  Care  must  be  observed  in  the  dyeing,  so  as  to  prevent 
felting  of  the  stock,  which  detracts  not  a  little  from  its  carding  and  spinning 
qualities.  The  preparation  of  the  stock  for  the  card  room  must  be  thorough, 
the  oiling  and  picking  being  very  important  processes  in  the  production  of 
any  kind  of  woolens,  and  especially  so  when  fine  yarns  are  to  be  made.  The 
amount  of  oil  to  be  applied  to  the  stock  depends  somewhat  on  the 

Quality  and  Condition, 

and  varies  with  weather  conditions  to  a  certain  extent.  The  cards  should 
be  in  Al  condition,  set  fairly  close,  so  as  to  comb  out  any  pills  of  short 
stock  in  the  batch.  The  roving  must  be  free  and  clear,  well  rubbed  and 
made  half  draft.  With  roving  in  good  condition,  the  production  of  the  mules 
should  show  a  high  percentage  of  efficiency  and  a  strong,  smooth  thread. 
During  the  winter  months  the  carder  may  experience  some  difficulty  with 
electricity  at  the  condensers,  but  there  are  appliances  now  obtainable  which 
are  claimed  to  obviate  this  entirely.  If  these  devices  are  not  to  be  had,  an 
application  of  alum  water  in  small  quantities  in  the  picker  room  will  do 
much  to  eliminate  this  feature.  It  should  not  be  applied  too  freely,  as  it  is 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


95 


somewhat  of  a  hindrance  in  the  finishing.  The  yarns  should  be  carefully 
spooled,  with  knots  tied  in  such  a  manner  that  they  will 

Not  Slip  During  Dressing 
or  weaving.  Weaving  cloth  from  well-made  yarns  with   the  layout  given 
should  show  a  relatively  high  production  of  practically  perfect  cloth.  A  well 


17'/2-Ounce  Heavy-Weight  Cassimere. 


known  Connecticut  mill,  manufacturing  a  fabric  similar  to  that  here  de- 
scribed, but  with  40  picks  of  5i^-run  filling,  operated  30  looms  full  time  for 
several  years  with  but  two  girls  in  the  finishing  room,  who  did  all  the  burl- 
ing, sewing,  specking  and  mending.  This  record  is  not  beyond  the  reach 
of  others,  if  they  will  pay  the  same  careful  attention  to  selection  of  stock 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


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Warp  and  filling: 

2  li|rht>  2  dark,  with  faney  stripes. 


O 


DECLINAL  TWILL.  WEAVE. 
Also  made  plain  light  warp  and 
daik  filling. 

STRAIGHT  DRAW. 
Repeats  on  five  harness. 


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96 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


and  yarn  manufacture.  When  burled  and  sewed,  the  pieces  are  put  through 
the  soaping  machine,  even  distribution  of  the  soap  being  absolutely  neces- 
sary if  perfect  results  are  to  be  obtained  in  fulling.  If  no  soaping  machine 
is  at  hand,  the  pieces  may  be  run  into  the  mill  and  the  soap  applied  in  a 
semifluid  condition  as  the  goods  enter  the  rolls.  Full  to  56  inches,  scour 
thoroughly,  rinse  and  dry.  The  goods  are  not  fulled  in  length  but  finished 
loom  yards.  From  the  dryer  take  to  the  shear,  and  give  sufficient  runs  to 
clear  them  out,  brush  and  press. 


Layout : 

2,040  ends,  34  picks. 

Reed:  7^—4,  68  inches  between  listing. 


W^arp: 

2,040  thr.,  5  run   4.08  oz. 

Filling: 

34  piclcs,  5  run  4.76  oz. 


9.04  oz. 

Lroom  shrinkage   90  oz. 


Equal  loom  weight   9.94  oz. 

Material: 

75%  fine  wool  @  56c   =  $  .4200 

25%  medium  wool  @  44c   =  .1100 


16  )  $  .6300 
$  .0332 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

9.94  ozs.  and  15%  shrinkage  = 

11.43  ozs.    @   3.32c  =  $  .3794 

Manufacturing: 

34    picks   =  .2670 


Mill  cost,  a  yard   $  .6464 


17/2-OLince  Heavy-Weight  Cassimere. 


than  can  be  produced  in  woolens,  has  been  responsible,  in  a  marked  degree, 
for  the  lack  of  interest  in  cassimeres.  While  the  cassimere  will  give  ex- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


97 


cellent  service  and  is  a  fabric  of  much  more  warmth  than  a  worsted  of  the 
same  weight,  popular  taste,  educated  to  a  great  extent  by  the  clothier,  has 
demanded  worsteds  for  suiting  purposes.  It  is  only  within  the  last  two  gen- 
erations that  the  worsted  fabric  has  come  to  the  front.  Previous  to  that 
time  there  were  comparatively  few  worsted  mills  in  the  country,  and  many 
of  the  old-time  manufacturers,  when  asked  to  make  a  line  of  samples  from 
the  new  yarn,  laughed  at  the  idea,  thinking  it  was  only  a  temporary  fad. 
A  few,  who  were  more  progressive  than  their  neighbors,  started  the  manu- 
facture of  worsted  yarns  and  fabrics,  making  comfortable  fortunes  for  them- 
selves. The  relative  position  of  the  two  branches  of  the  industry  is  shown 
by  the  number  of  looms  devoted  to  woolens  and  worsteds  in  1869  and  in 
1909,  a  period  of  40  years  intervening.   In  1869  there  were  34,183  woolen 

NUMBERED  FOR  REDUCTION. 
TOP. 


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i/ 
ij 

if* 
JJ 


Full  Design  Draft. 

and  6,126  worsted  looms,  while  in  1909  the  woolen  looms  were  but  33,148 
and  the  worsted  looms  39,476. 

The  manufacture  of  fancy  cassimeres  requires  talent  of  no  mean  va- 
riety, and  offers  to  the  trained  mind  a  field  second  to  none.  Tbe  knowledge 
of  stocks,  necessary  to  the  successful  operation  of  a  woolen  mill,  can  only 
be  gained  by  long  years  of  experience  in  handling  them  and  careful  observa- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


tion  of  the  various  fibres  and  their  action  during  the  intricate  manufacturing 
processes.  There  are  many  who  are  positive  that  the  success  of  the  mill 
lies 

Entirely  with  the  Designer, 

but  this  is  a  mistaken  idea.  Not  that  we  would  belittle  that  extremely  im- 
portant branch  of  the  business,  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  foundation 


Layout: 

1,828  ends,  30  picks. 
Reed  9—3—67,  75  inches  between  listing. 
W^arp : 

1,828  thr.,  214  run   8.12  oz. 

Filling: 

30  picks,  21/4  run   9.29  oz. 


Material: 

50%  coarse  grade  wool  (§)  $  .0036....  =  |  .180« 

20%  medium  grade  wool  @  $  .0040..  =  .0880 

20%  medium  grade  shoddy  @  |  .0020  =  .0400 

10%  med.  grade  wool  waste  @  $  .0012  =  012C 


16  )|  .3200 


2  inches  for  listing  17.41  oz. 

Loom  shrinkage,  10%   I.74  oz. 


An  ounce 


I  .0200 


Equal  loom  weight  19.15  oz. 


19.15  ozs.  stock  plus  15%  =  22.02  ozs., 

@    2c  =  $  .4404 

Manufacturing: 

30    picks   =  .2500 


Mill  cost,  per  yard   $  .6904 

Of  the  whole  manufacturing  structure  is  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  stocks 
required  to  give  the  desired  effect  in  the  finished  fabric.  Unless  the  proper 
stocks  are  combined  to  make  the  yarn,  the  efforts  of  the  most  skillful  de- 
signer will  not  avail  to  bring  out  a  salable  fabric. 

One  of  the  most  important  features  of  woolen  manufacturing,  and  one 
tha^  is  very  frequently  neglected,  is  the  mixing  and  oiling  of  the  stock  in 


TOP. 


// 

(J 

I 

1 

1 

Dravi/ing-ln  Draft. 


the  picker  house.  This  operation  should  be  in  charge  of  a  man  who  is  ab- 
solutely reliable,  as  an  error  here  may  easily  prevent  the  successful  pro- 
duction of  the  fabric.  The  percentage  of  the  various  stocks  and  colors  must 
be  weighed  exactly,  or  it  will  be  practically  impossible  to  duplicate  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


99 


style  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  do  so.  The  quantity  of  oil  in  the  emul- 
sion, and  amount  of  emulsion  put  on  the  lots,  must  be  kept  uniform,  or  it 
will  be  impossible  for  the  carder  to  make  even  roving  or  for  the 

Spinner  to  Produce  Even  Yarns 
from  day  to  day.  Such  items  as  these  may  appear  too  small  to  notice,  but 
it  is  attention  to  these  seeming  trivialities  that  wins  success  for  the  mill 
manager. 

The  carder  should  use  the  greatest  care  to  have  the  stock  well  opened 
and  the  roving  free  from  twits  or  heavy  places.  It  has  often  been  said  that 
the  card  room  is  the  heart  of  the  fancy  cassimere  mill,  and  the  statement 
has  much  of  truth  in  it,  for  if  the  stock  is  not  properly  carded,  it  is  im- 
possible to  make  a  yarn  from  the  roving  that  will  give  satisfactory  results 
in  other  departments  of  the  mill.  The  roving  should  be  made  heavy  enough 
to  permit  of  half  draft  on  the  mules,  so  as  to  allow  sufficient  drawing  to 
straighten  out  the  fibres  as  much  as  possible,  thus  forming  a  thread  of  the 
greatest  strength  that  can  be  obtained  from  the  stock  used.  Many  times 
the  fact  that  a  warp  runs  poorly  in  the  loom  is  attributed  to  the  use  of  too 
low  a  stock  when,  in  a  great  majority  of  cases,  the  trouble  lies,  not  in  the 
stock  but  in  the  fact  that  it  has 

Not  Been  Intelligently  Handled, 

and  its  full  possibilities  been  developed  in  the  spinning  room.  When  the 
spinner's  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  the  yarns  are  not  strong,  the 
usual  procedure  is  to  give  it  another  hole  of  twist  or  to  let  it  out  a  hole,  the 
latter  process  making  a  heavier  thread,  and  throwing  the  cost  calculations 
into  more  or  less  confusion.  Instead  of  this  methoa  of  overcoming  the 
trouble,  it  would  be  much  better  in  the  majority  of  cases  to  consult  with 
the  carder  and  see  if,  by  a  change  in  the  roving,  it  would  not  be  feasible  to 
draw  the  yarn  more,  securing  a  greater  parallelization  of  the  fibres,  and 
so  materially  increasing  the  strength  of  the  thread.  To  many  spinners,  the 
mule  seems  to  oe  simply  a  machine  for  twisting  the  roving  and  placing  the 
yarn  on  bobbins.  This  is  an  entirely  wrong  conception  of  the  machine.  As 
pointed  out  in  the  article  on  wool  spinning,  the  functions  of  the  mule  are 
threefold,  drawing,  twisting  and  winding  the  yarn  on  bobbins.  While  the 
last  two  are  very  important,  it  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  first  is  fully 
as  essential  to  the  production  of  a  perfect  thread  as  either  of  the  others. 
It  must  be  apparent  to  anyone  that  the  greatest  strength  of  a  fibre  is  in  the 
direction  of  its  length,  so  that  the 

More  Nearly  Straight 

the  fibres  are  laid  in  the  thread,  the  stronger  it  becomes.  Twist  is  a  very 
important  factor  in  giving  strength  to  the  yarn  also,  but  beyond  certain  lim- 
its it  has  the  opposite  tendency,  making  the  yarn  harsh  and  brittle.  Every 
spinner  has  doubtless  had  proof  of  the  latter  statement,  and  seen  ends 
break  down  because  of  ''twisting  off."  Another  source  of  trouble  when  spin- 
ning yarns  from  a  shoddy  mixture  is  the  presence  of  "hard  ends"  in  the 
stock.  These  are  threads  of  unusually  hard  twist,  which  have  resisted  the 
action  of  the  garnett  machine  or  rag  picker.  As  they  retain  the  twist  orig- 
inally given  the  yarn,  it  is  impossible  to  draw  them  on  the  mule,  conse- 
quently the  end  breaks  down  as  the  carriage  comes  out.  The  style  here  de- 
scribed requires  24  harnesses  for  its  reproduction,  and  in  getting  the  loom 
ready  for  the  weaver,  the  fixer  must  use  care  and  judgment  to  time  the  va- 
rious parts  of  the  loom  so  that  each  will  perform  its  function  with  the  least 
possible  strain.  The  weaver  should  give  strict  attention  to  warp  and  filling, 
replacing  broken  ends  as  soon  as  discovered,  as  every  thread  must  be  in  its 


ioo 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSAtlY 


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Chain   Draft,  24  Harness,  48  Bars. 


place  in  the  finished  fabric.  When  taken  from  the  looms 
the  pieces  should  be  perchea,  every  imperfection  marked,  and 
the  cloth  measured  and  weighed.    A  record  of  the  piece  number,  loom 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


id 


number,  weaver's  name,  length  and  weight  of  the  piece,  should  be  made  in  a 
suitable  book,  and  also  any  details  as  to  imperfections  noted.  Burling  must 
be  thoroughly  done,  as  a  knot  allowed  to  remain  in  the  goods  is  very  li- 
able to  cause  a  hole  during  shearing.  Every  broken  end  or  pick  must  be 
replaced  by  the  sewers,  coarse  ends  removed  and  a  perfect  thread  substi- 
tuted, floats  and  holes  repaired,  slugs  reduced,  In  fact,  the  cloth  put  in  as 
nearly  perfect  condition  as  is  possible. 

Fulling  should  be  done  in  the  grease,  the  soap  used  being  a  pure  neu- 
tral base,  built  up  with  a  mild  alkali  and  absolutely  without  free  caustic 
alkali,  as  this  has  an  extremely  harmful  effect  on  the  wool  fibre,  rendering 
the  goods  harsh  and  wiry.  From  the  fulling  mills  transfer  at  once  to  the 
washer  and  scour  for  30  to  40  minutes  in  warm  water.  Open  the  gates  and 
rinse  well.  Should  there  be  the  least  doubt  as  to  the  goods  being 

Thoroughly  Clean, 

give  another  20  minutes'  scouring  with  fresh  soap  and  warm  water,  tak- 
ing care  that  every  trace  of  soap  is  rinsed  out  before  the  pieces  are  taken 
from  the  washer.  Extract  and  dry  before  napping.  As  it  is  not  desired  to 
finish  the  goods  with  a  nap,  but  to  have  them  as  clear  as  possible,  the  ob- 
ject to  be  obtained  on  the  napper  is  not  to  form  a  nap  but  simply  to  raise 
the  fibres  so  that  they  may  be  readily  removed  by  the  shear  blade.  This  is 
much  more  readily  accomplished  by  running  the  cloth  on  the  napper  dry, 
as  the  fibres  stand  out  from  the  body  of  the  fabric.  Much  better  results  will 
be  obtained  by  shearing  slowly,  that  is  by  giving  several  runs  instead  of 
lowering  the  blade  and  attempting  to  remove  all  the  nap  at  the  first  opera- 
tion. Clear  out  the  twill  so  that  every  individual  thread  shows  distinctly, 
brush,  spray  and  press.  The  result  will  be  a  fabric  of  which  any  finisher 
might  well  be  proud. 


VENETIANS 

The  Venetian  is  a  fine  woolen  cloth  used  extensively  for  spring  top- 
coats, ladies'  jackets  and  in  the  lighter  weights  for  skirtings.  They  are  fre- 
quently made  in  piece-dyes,  but  for  coating  purposes  are  usually  produced 
in  mixtures,  and  in  many  instances  the  mixture  Venetians  are  sold  under  the 
name  of  coverts.  There  is  no  excuse  whatever  for  confusing  the  two  fabrics, 
as  they  are  of  entirely  different  construction,  the  only  point  of  similarity 
being  the  fine  diagonal  twill.  Venetians  are  made  from  single  yarns,  both  in 
warp  and  filling,  while  the  true  covert  is  made  with  a  two-ply  warp 
of  contrasting  colored  twists  and  a  single  filling.  The  sample  here  illustrat- 
ed was  made  from  a  stock  mixture  of  two  grades  of  wool  well  combined  with 
a  fine  shoddy.  To  many  manufacturers  the  stock  mixture  used  will  appear 
incapable  of  being  spun  to  weavable  yarns  of  the  size  here  given,  but  with 
the  proper  equipment  in  the  carding  department  and  a  capable  overseer,  no 
serious  difficulty  will  be  encountered. 

Good  Cards  and  a  Skilled  Carder  Necessary. 

It  must  be  distinctly  understood,  however,  that  both  elements  of  this 
proposition  must  l)e  present  in  order  to  secure  the  desired  results.  For  the 
manufacture  of  piece-dyed  Venetians  the  Texas  wools  are  very  nicely 
adapted,  giving  a  fabric  that  is  well  felted  and  with  an  exceptionally  soft, 
full  handle  in  the  semifinished  cloths.  The  wools  to  be  used  will  differ 
with  the  type  of  finish  required,  which  varies  extremely  at  different  sea- 
sons. At  times  the  trade  will  have  nothing  but  cloths  that  are  well  cleared 
out,  with  the  twill  prominent  and  every  thread  distinct,  yery  much  re- 


102  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

sembling  that  closely  related  fabric,  the  whipcord,  while  another  season  de- 
mands a  fabric  with  considerable  nap  and  the  twill  scarcely  discernable. 

It  is  a  matter  of  extreme  difficulty  to  describe  the  different  varieties  of 
wool  so  as  to  enable  those  not  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  various  grades 
and  types  to  differentiate  between  them.  It  is  only  hy  being  brought  into 


12-Ounce  Venetian. 


actual  contact  with  the  stocks  over  a  considerable  period  of  time  that  one 
is  able  to  determine  with  any  degree  of  accuracy  the  particular  type  of  wool 

Best  Adapted  for  the  Fabric 

to  be  manufactured.  This  feature  of  manufacturing  has  not  received  the  at- 
tention that  its  importance  demands.  Many  of  those  engaged  in  the  textile 
industry  both  in  the  manufacturing  end  and  the  merchandising  of  the  prod- 
uct, lay  undue  stress  upon  designing,  as  though  style  was  the  all -important 
feature.  Granting  that,  other  things  being  equal,  style  has  more  to  do  in 
creating  a  market  for  the  product  than  anything  else,  it  must  also  be  ad^ 
mitted  that  a  line  poorly  constructed,  no  matter  how  intelligent  the  styling 
may  be,  will  never  meet  with  success. 

It  is  especially  essential  in  these  days  of  severe  competition  that  the 
manager  of  a  textile  mill  should  be  an  expert  manipulator  of  stocks,  as  it  is  in 
this  part  of  the  manufacturing  that  profits  may  be  made  or  lost  very  rap- 
idly. For  the  production  of  the  mixture  Venetians,  which  imitate  the  true 
coverts  in  shade,  it  is  advisable  to  use  a  pulled  wool  for  the  white  in  the 
mix.  There  are  several  excellent  reasons  for  so  doing,  one  of  the  best  be- 
ing the  fact  that  a  pulled  wool  can  be  obtained  that  will  be  more  open, 
freer,  and  less  apt  to  cause  specks,  which  is  a  very  common  defect  in 
mixtures.  Another  defect  frequently  found  in  mixtures,  particularly  those 
containing  a  very  small  percentage  of  one  color,  is  a  blotchy  or  streaky 
appearance,  due  to  improper  mixing.  The  writer  has  seen  many  prices 
which  were  rejected  by  the  sponger  for  this  reason  alone.  The  cloth  was 
perfect  in  every  other  respect,  but  it  would  be  impossible  to  make  it  into 
salable  garments  because  cf  the  unevenness  of  the  mixture.  That  a  defect 
of  this  sort  should  appear  in  woolens  is  not,  perhaps,  to  be  surprised  at, 
as  the  process  of  carding  in  use  to-day  makes  so  few  doublings  possible, 
but  the  same  imperfection  is  not  infrequently  seen  in  worsted  goods  where 
the  doublings  in  manufacturing  the  yarns   are   so   numerous.     To  obviate 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


103 


danger  of  imperfections  of  this  sort,  the  man  in  charge  of  the  picking* 
should  be  instructed  to  use  great  care  in  laying  down  the  batch,  and  to 
give  at  least 

Three  Runs  Through  the  Mixing 
picker.  The  oiling  should  have  careful  attention  that  every  part  of  the 
batch  may  receive  its  due  share  of  lubricant.  It  may  be  that  these  details 
are  enlarged  upon  unduly,  but  so  many  cases  have  been  brought  to  our 
attention  in  which  the  sole  cause  of  the  difficulty  was  lack  of  attention  to 
one  of  these  so-called  "minor  details,"  that  it  is  evidently  necessary  to 
emphasize  them,  that  they  may  be  borne  in  mind.  The  question  as  to 
the  best  oil  to  use  as  a  lubricant  during  the  carding  and  spinning  is  one 
that  must  be  decided  by  the  individual  manufacturer.  There  are  those 
who  will  under  no  circumstances  use  anything  but  a  red  or  a  lard  oil,  while 
in  other  mills  mineral  oils  are  used  exclusively,  and  with  very  satisfactory 
results.  As  a  general  proposition,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  best  oil  is  the 
cheapest.  The  emulsion  may  be  formed  with  varied  proportions  of  oil  and 
water,  as  the  judgment  ot  the  manager  may  indicate.  For  the  stock  used 
in  the  sample  here  described  the  proportions  may  be  one-third  oil  and  two- 
thirds  water,  cut  with  borax  or  some  other  mild  alkali.  This  should  be 
applied  warm  at  the  rate  of  twelve  quarts  per  hundred  pounds  of  stock, 
and  the  batch  beaten  with  a  pole  to  secure  penetration. 

The  cards  should  be  in  Al  condition,  set  fairly  close,  so  as  to  eliminate 
all  danger  of  specks,  the  roving  well  rubbed,  and  made  for  spinning  at 
half  draft.  Spinners  should  be  instructed  to  make  no  splicings 
on  the  yarn  intended  for  warp,  but  to  tie  all  broken  ends.  Spooling,  in  it- 
self an  extremely  simple  operation,  may  be  the  cause  of  much  trouble  and 
many  imperfections  in  subsequent  processes,  if  carelessly  performed.  The 
operatives  must  tie  the  knots  so  that  there  is  no  danger  of  slipping  during 
dressing  or  weaving,  breaking  the  ends  off  short,  so  that  they  will  not 
become  entangled  with  the  threads  and  cause  them  to  break  during  weaving. 
Fabrics  of  this  character  are  usually  woven  on  the  five  or  seven  harness  doe- 
skin weave,  either  of  which  will  form  "floats"  easily,  that  is,  a  slight  lump  of 
flyings,  or  the  long  ends  of  a  knot  are  very  liable  to  prevent  the  warp 
threads  from 

Interlacing  with  tiie  Filling 

properly.  The  weaver  must  use  great  care  to  guard  against  imperfections 
of  this  nature,  or  the  cost  of  sewing  will  be  increased  to  a  marked  degree. 
Burlers  must  remove  every  knot,  leaving  the  ends  to  be  clipped  off  by  the 
shear.  After  sewing,  the  pieces  may  be  taken  to  the  wet  finishing  and 
prepared  for  the  mills. 

The  use  of  a  soaping  machine  is  strongly  advised,  particularly  on  goods 
of  this  character  which  full  very  easily.  Even  application  of  the  soap  is 
absolutely  essential  in  order  to  secure  evenly  fulled  pieces.  The  soap 
should  be  made  up  from  a  pure  neutral  palm  oil  base,  built  up  with  a  pure 
alkali,  absolutely  without  any  trace  of  free  caustic.  After  running  a  few 
minutes  the  goods  should  be  examined  to  see  that  the  grease  and  dirt  are 
being  properly  raised.  This  may  be  readily  ascertained  by  holding  the  cloth 
over  the  fingers  and  scraping  the  thumb  nail  against  the  cloth.  If  the 
soap  is  of  the  correct  consistency  with  sufficient  detergent  qualities  the 
dirt  and  grease  will  flow  out  over  the  thumb  nail  readily.  Full  to  fifty 
seven  inches,  then  wash  thoroughly  and  dry.  If  the  finish  desired  requires 
considerable  nap,  the  pieces  may  be  placed  on  the  wire  napper  or  gigs  before 
drying,  but  for  a  clear  finish  they  should  be  dried,  then  given  a  light  napping 


104 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


or  more  properly  ''raising/'  as  the  object  in  view  is  not  to  form  a  nap,  but 

to  raise  the  fibres  so  that  they  may  be  readily  removed  by  the  shear.  After 
shearing,  brush,  dew  and  press. 


Selvage  on  extra  harness,  or  straps  on 
basket;  2  and  2  to  keep  it  from  rolling. 


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STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


Five  harness. 
Doskin  weave. 


Layout : 

3,468  ends.    50  picks  an  inch. 

Reed:  101^—5—69.1  inches  between  the  listing. 

Warp : 

3,648  thr.,  6  run    6.08  oz. 

Filling: 

50  picks,  51/^  run    6.40  oz. 


12.48  oz. 

Loom  shrinkage,  10%    1.25  oz. 


Loom  weight   13.73  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 


Material: 

50%  fine  wool  @  56c  

30%  medium  wool  @  44c. 
20%  fine  shoddy  @  24c... 


.=  $  .2800 
,.=  .1320 
,.=  .0480 


16)$  .4600 


An  or' 


.$  .0288 


13.73  ounce  stock  plus  15%  shrinkage  = 
15.50  ounces  @  2.88c   =  |  .44W 

Manufacturing: 

50  picks   =  .3330 


Mill  cost 


.7794 


UDIES  DOUBLE-FACE  GOODS 

The  manufacture  of  goods  of  this  character  requires  the  use  of  fine 
wools,  and  should  not  be  attempted  unless  the  preparatory  machinery  in  the 
mill  is  in  Al  condition.  Fine  yarns  cannot  be  produced  with  any  degree  of 
success  with  card  clothing  in  the  condition  of  that  in  many  of  our  mills. 
The  wool  selected  for  the  sample  here  described  is  a  fine  selected  Montana, 
which  costs  on  to-day's  market  56  cents  per  pound  clean.  The  stock  mix- 
ture is  composed  of  75  per  cent  wool  and  25  per  cent  of  a  fine  shoddy.  The 
wools  should  be  carefully  sorted,  then  scoured  with  a  mild  detergent,  the 
working  qualities  of  the  wool  depending,  to  a  very  considerable  degree,  on 
its  treatment  during  me  scouring  operation. 

The  custom  in  many  mills,  now  being  rapidly  superseded  by  the  me- 
chanical wool  washer,  was  to  use  the  old-fashioned  hand  tub  and  rinse  box. 
Too  often  this  primitive  equipment  was  entrusted  to  the  care  of  low-priced 
help,  with  no  idea  of  the  irreparable  injury  that  might  be  done  to  the  staple 
by  carelessness  in  handling.  The  scouring  bath  was  made  up  of  harsh 
soaps  and  soda  ash,  a  combination  that  even  in  the 

Hands  of  Skilled  Operatives 

must  be  used  with  great  care.  This  mixture  was  boiled  up  in  a  circular 
vat,  then  water  added  until  the  liquor  was  bearable  to  the  hand.  A  part 
of  the  wool  to  be  scoured  was  then  thrown  into  the  tub  and  agitated  with 
a  pole  for  a  short  time  and  allowed  to.  stand  uiitU  the  grease  and  dirt  were 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


105 


well  sottened.  A  part  of  the  stock  was  then  removed  with  a  fork  and  placed 
on  a  rack  to  drain,  a  sloping  table  under  the  drainer  returning  the  surplus 
liquor  to  the  vat.   The  next  operation  was   the   rinsing,  accomplished  by 
throwing  the  wool  into  the  "rinse  box,"  where  it  was  subjected  to  the  ac- 
tion of  a  stream  of  water,  usually  taken  from  the  fore  bay  of  the  water 


Double-Cclor    Twill    Face    and    Lone  Colored  Back. 


wheel,  and  frequently  none  too  clean.  That  excellent  results  are  obtainable 
by  this  method  is  not  to  be  denied,  but  that  in  many  instances  the  results 
were  far  from  satisfactory  is  a  fact  well  known  to  many  who  have  had  to 
deal  with  stock  scoured  by  incompetent  workmen.  It  must  not  be  under- 
stood from  the  foregoing  that  the  trouble  was  entirely  with  the  method, 
as  many  of  our  present-day  superintendents  have  seen  goods  produced  from 
wools  scoured  in  the  hand  tub  that  would  compare  very  favorably  with  any 
produced  in  the  latest  of  our  new  mills  with  their  modern  equipment.  In  the 
former  days,  as  at  present,  it  was  largely  a  question  of  men,  not  methods. 
The  great  mistake  was  made  frequently  of  underestimating  the  importance 
of  an  apparently  simple  operation. 

Cleansing  the  Wool 

from  the  natural  impurities  is  apparently  a  process  requiring  no  particular 
skill,  nor  should  it  be  necessary  to  pay  high  wages  to  the  one  in  charge  of 
the  scouring.  A  careful  examination  of  the  fibre  and  an  intimate  knowledge 
of  its  physical  structure  reveals  to  the  student  the  necessity  for  care  in 
handling  such  an  intricately  constructed  fibre  in  every  process  of  manu- 
facture. Under  the  microscope  the  wool  fibre  is  seen  to  be  covered  witli 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


innumerable  scales,  or  imbrications,  which  may  be  easily  injured  by  harsh 
treatment.  The  spinning  and  felting  properties  are  largely  dependent  upon 
these  imbrications,  as  during  the  various  processes  of  manufacture  they 
interlock  with  each  other,  particularly  in  the  fulling,  and  aid  materially  in 
making  the  cloth  a  firm,  compact  fabric.  The  chief  sources  of  injury  to  the 
stock  during  the  scouring  are  the  use  of  too  severe  alkalis  as  detergents 
and  excessive  heat  iin  the  scouring  bath.  Either  will  so  affect  the  stock 
that  it  may  be  impossible  to  spin  it  to  the  desired  size,  and  also  will  very 


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Warp: 
1  thr.,  light  mix  face. 
1  thr..  fancy  back. 
1  thr.,  cotton  binder. 
1  thr.,  light  mix  facel  3  tjjnes. 
1  thr.,  fancy  back  3 

Filling:  9  thr. 
1  pick,  dark  mix  face. 
1  pick,  fancy  back. 


much  depreciate  the  handle  of  the  finished  goods.  Excessive  heat  in  drying 
the  stock  should  also  be  avoided. 

In  the  Dyehouse. 

Wools  for  manufacturing  the  fabrics  here  described  must  be  stock- 
dyed,  that  is  to  say,  colored  in  the  raw  state,  as  it  is  neither  practical  nor 
profitable  to  color  wool  yarn  in  the  skein.  The  method  of  dyeing  to  be  used 
is  a  matter  for  the  dyer  to  decide.  The  use  of  acid  colors  is  common  prac- 
tice on  dress  fabrics,  but  does  not  give  colors  that  will  compare  with 
alizarines  for  fastness,  either  to  light  or  fulling.  If  alizarine  colors  are  to 
be  used  they  may  be  either  bottom  chromed  or  colored  by  the  top  chrome 
method.  The  latter  method  is  preferred  by  many  dyers,  as  they  think  the 
colors  developed  in  this  way  are  brighter  and  livelier  than  those  colored 
by  bottom  chroming.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  allow  the  kettle  to  boil  too 
hard,  as  it  has  a  decided  tendency  to  "rope"  the  stock  and  render  it  difficult 
to  card  and  spin  besides  injuring  its  felting  properties.  After  coloring,  rinse 
well  and  dry.  The  wool  and  shoddy  must  be  thoroughly  mixed  in  the  picker 
house,  and  should  have  an  application  of  four  quarts  of  oil  to  the  hundred 
weight  of  stock.  It  is  customary  to  apply  the  oil  in  the 

Form  of  an  Emulsion, 

which  may  be  mixed  in  the  proportion  of  one  pail  of  oil  and  two  pails  of 
water,  emulsified  with  borax,  sal  soda,  or  some  other  mild  alkali.  The 
application  of  twelve  quarts  of  emulsion  will  give  the  required  amount  of 
oil,  and  add  sufficient  moisture  to  insure  the  stock  working  nicely  on  the 
cards. 


107 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  carding  of  stock  for  fine  yarns  requires  considerable  skill,  and  also 
necessitates  the  keeping  of  the  card  clothing  in  good  condition.  The  workers 
on  the  first  breaker  should  be  set  with  at  least  a  28  gauge,  and  many 


Double-Colored  Herringbone  Face  and  Lone-Colored  Back. 


carders  insist  that  a  30  gauge  would  improve  matters.  The  finisher  should  be 
set  with  a  32  gauge,  the  rings  nicely  adjusted  to  the  cylinder,  and  the 
corduroy  wipe  roll  newly  covered,  if  it  shows  signs  of  much  wear.  With 
the  stock  mixture  used  in  the  sample,  it  may  be  necessary  to  give  the 
spinner  slightly  m.ore  than  half  draft,  always  keeping  in  mind  the  fact  that 


Layout: 

8,600  ends,  52  picks. 
Reed:   12—5,   4—66.66  inches   between  listing. 
Don't  count  binder  in  reeding. 


Warp : 

3,200  thr.,  6  run   5.33  oz. 

400  thr.,  3/40  cotton,  lOVg  run   0.38  " 

Filling: 

52  picks,  6  run   5.95  " 


11.66  oz. 

Loom   shrinkage,    10%   1.16  " 


Weight   out    the   loom  12.82  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 


Material : 

75%  fine  wool  @     56c.  a  lb   =   $  .420U 

25%  fine  shoddy  (g)  24c.  a  lb   =  .0600 


16)  $  .4800 

An   ounce  $  .0300 

12,82  ounce  stock  plus  15% 

  ^  ir    _    •  4  J2^ 

14.74  ounce  @  3c. 
Manufacturing: 

52   picks   =  .3410 


Mill  cost  a  yard  7832 


in  order  to  make  a  round,  strong  thread,  it  must  be  drawn  on  the  mule 
sufficiently  to  straighten  out  the  fibres  to  the  greatest  possible  extent.  The 
top  and  bottom  spools  on  the  cards  should  be  kept  separate  and  spun  on 
separate  mules,  unless  the  machines  are  equipped  with  double  roving  gears, 
as  are  the  latest  types  of  nearly  all  makes.    Even  with  the  best  of  equip- 


108 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ment  it  is  a  matter  of  some  little  difficulty  to  get  yarn  from  both  doffers 
exactly  alike,  and  it  is  advisable  to  keep  the  yarns  separate  in  the  weave 
room  if  they  are  to  be  used  for  filling.    Every  spinner  should  be  warner' 

Full  Draft. 


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X 

X 

X 

k 

X 

o 

K 

X 

o 

X 

X 

0 

X 

\S 

X 

X 

o 

X 

f 

X 

X 

X 

X 

0 

X 

X 

X 

X 

xj 

X 

X 

o 

X 

X 

X 

J 

>^ 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

7 

/ 

J 

r 

4 

7 

; 

A 

d 

/ 

t 

V 

<? 

/ 

^ 

J 

r 

i 

/ 

2  times  4  times  3  times 


CO  tie  all  broken  ends,  not  alone  for  the  reason  that  splicings  made  in  front 
of  the  rolls  are  apt  to  pull  apart  in  the  loom,  but  to  avoid  the  lumps  in 
the  yarn  that  usually  accompany  unskillful  splicing. 

The  question  of  sizing  the  warps  on  the  dressing  frame  is  one  that  admits 
of  good  arguments  on  both  sides,  but  it  is  very  probable  that  the  time  lost 
in  the  dressing  room,  owing  to  the  slow  speed  at  which  the  dressers  may 
be  operated  when  running  sized  work,  will  be  more  than  compensated  for 
by  the  increased  production  in  the  weave  room.  Some  dresser  tenders  ob- 
ject to  using  a  warp  compressor,  but  the  experience  of  many  years  has 
amply  proven  that  warps  beamed  with  its  aid  will  run  much  better  in  the 


Drawing-in  Draft. 


/ 

fi 

9 

/ 

-V- 

/ 

/ 

-\/ 

loom,  as  the  life  and  elasticity  of  the  yarn  is  conserved  to  a  remarkable 
degree.  With  well-made  yarns,  the  weaving  should  proceed  with  a  minimum 
of  diificulty.  The  weaving  of  double-face  goods  is  usually  performed  with 
that  side  up  which  has  the 

Most  Difficult  Pattern 

to  care  for.  If  both  sides  are  of  a  solid  color,  or  simply  contrasting  warp 
and  filling,  it  is  immaterial  which  side  is  uppermost.    The  burling  must 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


109 


be  carefully  attended  to,  all  knots  and  slugs  removed  before  the  pieces  are 
sent  to  the  sewers.  The  sewers  should  replace  all  broken  threads  and 
picks,  both  back  and  face,  repair  floats  and  all  other  damages  as  far  as 
possible. 

In  the  wet  finishing,  a  very  serious  and  not  uncommon  defect  in  goods  of 
this  kind  may  develop,  that  is  the  showing  of  the  back  color  on  the  face, 
or  vice  versa.  This  is  oftentimes  attributed  to  faulty  work  in  the  dyehouse, 
the  finisher  claiming  that  the  colors  have  bled  and  stained  the  goods,  but 
in  the  majority  of  cases  the  trouble  will  be  found  in  the  fulling  mills.  The 
goods  have  been  run  too  long,  the  result  being  that  the 

Fibres  Have  Worked  Through 
and  are  showing  on  the  opposite  side.  The  remedy  for  this  is  obvious.  The 
goods  should  be  so  constructed  that  the  fulling  may  take  place  without  dan- 
ger of  such  a  result.  Full  to  57  inches  and  transfer  immediately  to  the 
washer.  Run  for  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  in  warm  water.  The  goods  should 
lather  up  freely  without  the  addition  of  soap.  Rinse  thoroughly  and  extract. 
If  the  goods  are  to  have  a  velour  finished  back,  take  to  the  napper  before 
drying,  as  the  nap  may  be  raised  much  more  easily  in  the  presence  of 
moisture  and  with  much  less  loss  of  stock.  Dry,  brush  and  shear  both  sides, 
brush,  spray  and  press.  These  fabrics  are  made  in  a  variety  of  styles  and 
weights,  with  plain  and  fancy  backs.  The  illustration  at  the  head  of  this 
article  shows  a  plain  twill  face  and  back.  The  second  illustration  shows  the 
same  fabric  with  a  herringbone  pattern.  Special  attention  is  called  to  the 
method  of  uniting  the  face  and  back  fabrics  by  means  of  an  independent 
cotton  tie  thread.  This  has  been  found  to  eliminate  the  defect  formerly  so 
often  found  in  double-face  goods,  the  so-called  stitchy  appearance  due  to 
binding  the  cloths  by  lowering  the  face  warp  to  the  back  for  one  pick,  or 
the  opposite  method  of  raising  a  thread  of  the  back  warp  over  a  face  pick. 
Both  fabrics  have  the  same  layout,  calculations  and  chain  drafts. 


WOOLEN  SUITINGS 


13J4-Ounce  Woolen  Suiting. 

The  decadence  of  the  carded  woolen  division  of  the  textile  industry  is 
explained  in  a  variety  of  ways  to  suit  the  ideas  of  the  speaker.  When  the  final 


110 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


analysis  is  made,  it  will  probably  be  found  that  an  element  of  truth  exists 
in  several  of  the  apparently  very  diverse  reasons  given.  There  are  to  be 
found  those  who  are  sincere  in  their  conviction  that  the  entire  trouble  is 
due  to  inequitable  tariff  legislation,  claiming  that  the  Payne-Aldrich  Bill 
gave  manufacturers  of  worsteds  a  great  advantage  over  the  carded  woolen 
mills.  Others  are  equally  sure  that  the  reason  for  the  greatly  reduced  de- 
mand for  woolens  is  the  result  of  a  change  in  the  type  of  fabric  desired  by 
the  ultimate  consumer,  while  still  another  argument  advanced  is  that  woolen 
mills 

Have  Not  Been  Progressive, 

and  have  failed  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times,  developing  no  new  cloths  that 
appeal  to  the  wearers,  forcing  them  to  turn  to  the  worsted  mills  for  fabrics 
such  as  they  desire.  The  materials  here  illustrated  and  described,  while  pre- 
senting nothing  particularly  novel  in  construction  or  design,  are  such  as 
would  prove  very  attractive  to  one  in  search  of  a  suit  that  would  combine 
service  and  appearance.  With  well-selected  stock,  well  manipulated  in  the 
carding  and  spinning  rooms,  a  yarn  may  be  produced  that  will  permit  of 


DRESS  ED. 


Black, 

r.||  5  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  . 

6  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  5  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  6  1  .  1  .  1  .  II  -  23 

Red, 

SVa  r.ll  .  1  1  1  .  1  .  1  . 

.  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  !  .  1  .  .  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  11  -  1 

W^hite, 

31/2  r.ll  .  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2 

.  1  2  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2  II  =  16 

Lavender, 

3V2  r.ll  .  1  .  1  .  1  2  1  . 

.  1  .  i  2  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  2  1  .  11  -  8 

Blue, 

3V2  r.ll  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  . 

.  1  .  1  .  1  •  1  .  1  1  1  .  1  .  i  •  1  ■  1  .  1  .  1  .  II  -  1 

=    48  thr., 
pattern.  48 
section.  5 
tlons  = 
ends. 


□□DQQBBDII 
gBCQBBBQII 

IBiSCBir^QBDII 


CHAIN  DRAFT. 


DRAV^ING-IN  DRAFT. 


Woven  4  run  black. 
Layout: 

2,400  ends,  40  picks. 

Reed   No.    9 — 4 — 66.77"   between  listing. 
Warp: 

2,400  thr.,  31/^  run    6.86  oz. 

Filling: 

40  picks,  4  run    6.86  oz. 

Allow  1/^"  for  listing. 

13.72  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage    =     1.37  oz. 

Loom  weight    15.09  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material : 

Med.  grade  wool   @   40c.   =   2V^c.  an  oz. 

15.09  oz.  plus  15%  shrinkage 

17.35  oz.  @  2i^c   =  $  .4337 

Manufacturing: 

40    picks   =  .2910 

Mill    cost  7247 


finishing  the  fabric  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  very  closely  approximate  a 
worsted  in  its  appearance,  and  in  actual  service  will  give  much  better  satis- 
faction to  the  wearer  than  a  worsted  fabric  at  the  same,  or  even  a  slightly 
higher  price.   One  of  the  very  serious  objections  to  a  worsted  made  from 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  111 


the  lower  grades  is  the  fact  that  nothing  will  prevent  its  becoming  shiny  in 
spots  with  comparatively  little  wear.  This  is  not  so  apt  to  be  the  case  with 
a  woolen,  and 

Another  Advantage 

in  the  woolen  suit  is  that  it  will  retain  its  shape  much  longer  than  a  cheap 
worsted.  With  the  wool  of  the  entire  world  at  their  disposal  on  equal  terms 
with  their  competitors  here  and  abroad,  manufacturers  of  carded  woolens 
should  be  in  position  to  prove  their  contention  that  their  lack  of  business 
was  due  to  inability  to  secure  raw  materials  on  as  favorable  terms  as  their 
brethren  in  the  worsted  trade.  The  type  samples  were  made  from  well- 
grown  fleece  wools  of  medium  grade,  carefully  sorted,  and  scoured  with  in- 
telligence. The  latter  item  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  whole 
scheme  of  manufacturing.  The  majority  of  scourers  are  imbued  with  the 
idea  that  wool  scouring  has  as  its  only  aim  and  object  the  thorough  cleans- 
ing of  the  fibre  from  the  foreign  matter  it  contains  in  its  natural  state. 


TT 


iaBBE2E3Bfli 

BBOBEaBBI 
DOBBBI^Bi 

I^IBB^D^E^I 


FULL  DRAFT. 


// 

/I 

i 

> 

2 

i 

s. 

DRAWING  DRAFT. 


13/2-Ounce  Woolen  Suiting. 


iia^<<iin^4r<«aR:^iiaF:?w 
IIDBf^BBBCBBBE^BII 
lliai^E^RRBBBBBQBDII 

IIBQCiBESBBBEaBQDII 

lifI1Br4BBC4BBBI!4«BII 

iBeaeilaiiiiii 


CHAIN  DRAFT. 


While  this  is  the  primary  object  to  be  obtained  by  the  scouring  process, 
the  fact  should  not  be  lost  sight  of  that  in  addition  to  cleansing  the  wool 
it  is  extremely  important  that  the 

Life,  Elasticity  and  Luster 
of  the  fibre  is  not  impaired,  and  that  the  physical  structure  of  the  fibre  it- 
self is  not  injured  in  any  way  during  the  cleansing  process.   That  irrep- 
arable injury  may  be  done  the  wool  by  carelessness  or  inattention  on  the 


112 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


part  of  the  scourer  is  a  fact  so  well  known  as  to  require  no  lengthy  proof 
at  this  time.  The  use  of  harsh  detergents,  too  great  heat  in  the  scouring 
bath  or  during  the  drying,  will  have  a  deleterious  effect  on  the  stock  and 
render  it  totally  unfit  for  the  use  for  which  it  was  intended,  changing 
entirely  the  appearance  and  handle  of  the  finished  fabric. 

Great  injury  may  be  done  the  fibre  in  the  dyeing  also,  too  severe  boil- 
ing making  the  stock  harsh  in  handle,  brittle  and  tender,  so  that  subsequent 
operations  are  attended  with  considerable  difficulty  and  an  excess  of  waste. 
Wool  fibre  is  extremely  responsive  to  kind  treatment,  and  resents  harsh 
handling  to  a  remarkable  degree.  In  the  hands  of  skilled  operatives  it  is 
susceptible  of  being  made  into  the  most  delicate  fabrics,  with 

A  Finish  that  Rivals  Silk 

for  softness  and  sheen.  On  the  other  hand,  if  handled  without  regard  to 
its  delicate  structure,  it  will  produce  a  fabric  that  is  harsh  to  the  touch,  un- 
sightly and  unattractive  in  every  way.  See  that  the  stock:  is  well  opened 
and  mixed  in  the  picker  room,  and  suflacient  oil  of  good  quality  applied  to 
give  it  thorough  lubrication  in  the  carding  and  spinning,  as  otherwise  it 
will  be  impossible  to  secure  the  desired  results.  The  wool  is  of  such  qual- 
ity that  carding  will  be  comparatively  easy.  The  stock  is  lofty,  standing 
up  on  the  workers  nicely  and  making  very  little  waste.  It  will  not  be  neces- 
sary to  set  closely,  as  the  stock  is  open  and  very  free.  In  condensing,  the 
rub  aprons  should  not  be  set  too  close,  the  stock  forming  an  excellent  rov- 
ing without  excessive  rubbing.  Make  the  roving  half  draft,  setting  the  draw- 
ing-out scroll  so  that  the  carriage  starts  out  at  fairly  good  speed.  If  the 
carriage  speed  is  low  in  starting  from  the  rolls,  the  roving  gets  too  much 
twist,  with  consequent  difficulty  in  drawing.  A  very  important  item  in  the 
spinning  of  these  yarns  is  the  proper  drafting  on  the  mules.  Good  even  yarn 
cannot  be  made  without  a  fair  amount  of  draft,  though  many  spinners  seem 
to  lose  sight  of  this  fact.  Twist  the  warp  twenty  turns  to  the  right,  the  fill- 
ing 16  turns  right  twist,  making  a  strong,  round,  smooth  thread.  Dressing 
warps  from  yarn  of  this  kind  that  has  been  well  spooled  is  a  pleasure,  there 
being  no  occasion  to  stop  except  to  change  the  reel  when  sections  are  full 
or  to  tie  in  new  spools.  Beam  hard  with  warp  compressor  on  the  beam. 
Production  from  the  weave  room  should  show  a 

Very  High  Average, 

as  the  weavers  will  have  little  to  do  aside  from  changing  shuttles,  the  warps 
running  with  practically  no  breaking  of  threads  from  start  to  finish.  When 
taken  from  the  looms,  the  pieces  should  immediately  be  perched,  measured 
and  weighed,  the  details,  including  piece  numher,  loom  number,  date  and 
weaver's  name,  being  entered  on  a  suitable  blank.  Burl  carefully,  raising 
the  knots  on  bolh  sides  and  breaking  them  off  with  long  ends,  remove  all 
slugs,  filling  drawn  in  or  other  imperfections  of  like  nature.  Sew  in  broken 
ends  or  picks,  repair  floats,  holes  or  like  damages,  when  the  goods  are  ready 
for  wet  finishing.  As  it  is  proposed  to  give  the  goods  a  clear  finish, 
the  fulling  should  be  done  with  a  view  to  shrinking,  not  felting,  and  an 
hour's  run  in  the  mill  should  be  ample  to  accomplish  this.  Scour  thoroughly 
in  warm  water,  rinse  and  extract.  The  handle  and  appearance  of  the  goods 
would  be  much  improved  by  a  treatment  on  the  wet  brush,  not  for  the 
brushing,  but  to  facilitate  steam  blowing  and  a  subsequent  forcing  of  cold 
water  through  the  roll.  This  should  be  done  twice,  changing  ends  on  the 
roll  between  operations.  Extract  in  the  open  if  possible,  and  dry  at  a  mod- 
erate heat.  Give  a  little  light  work  on  old  teasels  to  facilitate  shearing, 
which  must  be  as  close  as  possible.  Brush,  spray  and  give  a  hard  pressing. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


113 


DRESSED. 


Black, 

3V^||  3  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  4  1  .  1  . 

.  II 

==  16 

Red. 

SMsll  .  1  1  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  . 

.  II 

=  1 

White, 

.  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2  1  .  1  2  1  . 

2  II 

=  16 

Lavender, 

3^811  .  1  .  1  .  1  1  1  .  1  .  1  .  1  1 

.  11 

=  4 

3  times. 


36  thr  ,  one  pattern. 
►    396   ends   to  one  section. 
6  sections  =  2,376  ends. 


Woven  plain  black,  4  run. 
Layout: 

2,376  ends,  42  picks. 
Reed:   9 — 4 — 66"  between  listing. 
Warp: 

2,376  thr.,  3^5  run   = 

Filling: 

42  picks,  4  run   = 

10%  loom  shrinkage  

Loom  weight   


6.78  oz. 
7.12  oz. 


13.90  oz. 
1.39  oz. 


15.29  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 
Material : 

Med.  grade  wool  @  40c.  =  2i^c.  an  oz. 
15.29  and  15%  shrinkage. 

17.58  at  2i^c   =  $  .4395 

Manufacturing: 

42  picks    =  .3000 

Mill  cost   .      $  .7395 


UP  GOODS 

The  manufacture  of  cloths  especially  for  the  cap  trade  is  a  compara 
tively  recent  innovation,  but  in  the  recent  past  has  developed  into  a  very 
important  branch  of  the  woolen  industry.  The  fabric  here  illustrated  is  typi- 
cal of  many  of  the  cloths  now  popular  with  cap  makers.  The  yarns  are 
made  from  medium  wool  and  shoddy,  spun  to  comparatively  heavy  count?* 
with  medium  twist,  so  as  to  give  a  soft  fabric  with  a  bulky,  woolly  appear 


9!/2-Ounce  Cap  Cloth. 

ance  and  but  little  weight.  The  goods  are  of  low  texture  and  full  readily  n  - 
felt  being  required.  Scour,  dry  and  give  a  light  shearing  to  take  off  tiit 
long  hairs,  brush  and  give  a  light  pressing. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARV 


The  medium -weight  cap  cloths  similar  to  that  here  illustrated  are  fre- 
quently made  with  a  stock  mixture  slightly  different  from  that  used  in  the 
type  sample.  Many  of  the  rough,  shaggy  caps  now  so  popular  for  sporting 


K 

X 

X 

X 

K 

w 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

J— 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

? 

< 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

\r 

X 

X 

K 

t 

X 

/ 

/ 

r 

/ 

/ 

Full  Draft. 


Straight  draw,   twill  to  the  right. 
Dressed  and  woven. 
I  lig-ht. 
I  dark. 


Layout : 

1.088  ends.  18  picks. 
Eeed: 

8—2—68  inches  between  listing". 
Warp: 

1,088  ends,        run  4.30  oz. 

Pilling: 

18  picks,  V-k  run  5.00  oz. 

2  in.  allowed  for  listing.  9.30  oz. 

10%  for  loom  shrinkage  0.93  " 


Loom    weight  10.23  o«. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

70%  medium  grade  of  wool  @  40c.  =  %  .2800 
25%  medium  grade  of  shoddy  @  20c.  =  .0500 
5%  white  nub  @  50c.  =  .0250 


16  )  $  .3550 


10.23  +  15%.  Per  oz.,    $  .0222 

Material : 

15.35  oz.   (5)  $  .0222   =   $  .3407 

Manufacturing: 

18   picks   =  .2030 


Mill  cost,  per  yard   .5437 


wear  are  made  from  a  mixture  of  Joria  wool,  garnetted  quarter-blood 
thread  waste,  and  for  the  white  in  the  mixture,  a  bleached  China  wool.  A 
mixture  of  this  kind  made  from  tastefully  selected  colors  produces  a  fabric 


Medium-Weight  Cap  Goods,  Ounce. 

that  has  the  nobby  look  that  many  people  think  is  only  to  be  found  in  for- 
eign fabrics.  A  glance  over  the  line  of  some  of  our  first-class  domestic 
makers  will  soon  disabuse  one's  mind  of  any  such  idea.  Have  the  stock  well 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


115 


carded,  and  spin  with  medium  twist  at  two-thirds  draft.  This  will  produce  an 
excellent  weaving  thread.   Goods  of   this   character   should   be   fulled  as 
quickly  as  possible  and  immediately  transferred  to  the  washer.  Scour  thor 
oughly,  dry  and  shear  only  enough  to  take  off  the  long  hairs.  Brush,  give  a 
light  pressing  and  roll  up. 


X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

A. 

X 

X 

/\ 

A 

A 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X, 

/r 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/k 

X 

X 

. 

X 

X 

. 

• 

• 

yj 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

• 

X 

X 

X. 

// 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

f 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

J 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

K 

X 

/ 

/ 

r 

/ 

straight  Draw. 


Climbing  diagonal  to  the  right. 

Dressed  and  woven. 

1  thread  dark. 

1  thread  medium. 

1  thread  light. 

3  threads,  one  pattern. 


Layout: 

1,260  ends,  24  picks. 
Reed: 

9—2—70  inches  between  listing. 
Warp: 

1.260  thr.,  2  run   S.30  oz. 

Filling: 

24  picks,  2  run   S.80  t>2. 

Allow  two  inches  for  listing  \\M 
10%   loom  shrinkage   i.lfl 

Loom    weight  Ifi  W 

COST  CALCULATION 

Material: 

75%  medium  grade  of  wo(»l  @  40c.  —  $ 
25%  med.  grade  of  shoddy  @  20e.    =:  M'^- 

l«  >$  ?{,'.<•• 

Per  oz.   $  .0219 
16.39  oz   stock  an(i  15%  shrinkaiee 

18.04  oz.   @    $.0219  =  $  .4125 

Manufact  uring : 

24    picks   =  .2260 

Mill  cost,  per  yard   $  .6385 


The  20-ounce  fabric  shown  here  has  not  only  been  very  popular  for 
caps  but  has  sold  very  largely  to  the  cloak  houses,  particularly  when  made 
with  warp  of  one  color  and  filling  of  another,  in  all  sorts  of  contrasts,  from 
the  ever  popular  black  and  white  through  the  various  shades  of  blues, 
browns  and  tans.  The  only  difficulty  in  the  manufacture  of  fabrics  such  as 
this,  with  contrasting  colors  in  warp  and  filling,  is  to  obtain  even  yarns  and 
have  weavers  so  well  trained  that  there  will  be  no  light  and  heavy  places 
across  the  piece,  as  these  will  show  in  the  finished  goods,  oftentimes  re- 
quiring an  allowance.  How  to  overcome  this  is  a  question  much  discussed 
among  loom  fixers  and  boss  weavers.  Some  insist  that  such  goods  should 
never  be  woven  except  on  looms  with  positive  take-up,  while  others  are 
just  as  thoroughly  convinced  that  better  results  can  be  obtained  by  the 
average  weaver,  with  the  conditional  take-up.  When  putting  the  warp  in 
the  loom,  the  fixer  should  see  that  the  beam  heads  are  perfectly  smooth,  and 
put  on  new  friction  bands  covered  with  graphite  powder.  See  that  the  ar- 
bors of  the  beam  are  true,  and  that  the  take-up  is  working  freely.  Try  to  so 
adjust  the  take-up  and  friction  that  the  picks  will  beat  up  a  trifle,  as  the 
cloth  will  be  much  more  even  than  would  be  the  case  if  the  picks  went  into 


116 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  fell  of  the  cloth  with  no  beat.  Full  to  57  Inches,  wash,  dry  and  shear 
lightly,  brush  and  press. 


• 

X 

K 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

A 

/ 

• 

X 

X 

X 

X 

s 

X 

X 

X 

X 

r 

K 

>< 

X 

X 

f 

u 

X 

X 

« 

X 

X 

X 

z 

K 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

/ 

r 

Full  Draft. 


straight  draM.  twill  to  the  right. 
Dressed:  Plain  color. 
Woven:  Fancy  mixes. 


Layout: 

1,360  ends,  14  picks. 
Reed: 

10—2—68  inches  between  listing. 
Warp : 

1,360  thr..  2  run   6.80  oz. 

Filling: 

14  picks,   %  run  13.00  oz. 

2  inches  allowed  for  listing.  19.80  oz. 

10%  loom  shrinkage   1.98  oz. 

Equal  loom   weight  21.78  oz. 


Heavy-Weight  Cap  Goods,  20  Ounce. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

50%  medium  grade  wool  @  40c..^..  =  $  .20  0 
50%  medium  grade  shoddy  @  20c...    =  .1000 

16  )$  .3000 

21.78  plus  15%.  Per  oz.    $  .0188 

3.26  ounce. 

25.04  ounce   (&,   $.0188  ==  $  .4707 

14    picks   =  .1880 

Mill  cost,  per  yard   $  .6587 


MEN'S  V  EAR  PENCIL  STRIPES 

The  illustration  herewith  shows  two  typical  styles  of  pencil  stripes  for 
men's  wear,  which  are  extremely  good  representatives  of  this  class  of  men's 
wear  cloths  in  cross  dyes.  By  a  careful  selection  of  the  drugs  used  it  is 
possible  to  color  the  worsted  of  the  ground  any  desired  shade  without 
in  any  way  changing  the  color  of  the  silk  threads  used  for  the  striping. 
There  are  several  advantages  in  this  method  of  manufacturing  styles  of 
this  character,  not  the  least  of  which  is  the  fact  that  in  so  doing  there 
is  eliminated  the  necessity  of  dyeing  the  yarn  in  the  skein,  with  the  sub- 
sequent waste  in  winding  and  spooling.  Not  only  is  the  colored  waste  of 
less  value  as  a  by-product,  but  yarns  in  the  grey  are  stronger,  making 
better  weaving,  and  the  operative  has  less  strain  on  the  eyes  and  is  en- 
abled the  more  easily  to  detect  and  remedy  imperfections  of  various  kinds 
as  they  may  occur  during  the  processes  of  manufacture.  In  order  to  pro- 
duce a  fabric  that  shall  be  satisfactory  in  appearance  and  handle,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  superintendent  or  purchasing  agent  have  a 

Good  Knowledge  of  Yarns, 

so  that  he  may  select  those  best  adapted  for  the  fabric  to  be  manutactured. 
The  finish  required  and  the  handle  desired  in  different  seasons  vary  very 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


materially,  and  the  type  of  yarn  used  from  time  to  time  will  be  very 
prominent  factors  in  securing  the  result  that  is  the  aim  of  every  official 
of  the  concern,  that  is,  a  cloth  that  is  good  value  can  be  produced  in  quan- 
tity, and  will  show  a  fair  profit.  The  unwise  selection  of  yarns  is  in  many 
cases  the  cause  of  dissatisfaction  thr  oughout  the  mill,  the  winding  is  slow 
and  difficult,  the  waste  excessive,  an  d  production  far  below  what  it  should 
be,  the  usual  result  being  that  th  e  weavers  are  unable  to  earn  wages 
commensurate  with  the  labor  involved,  and  an  exceedingly  high  cost  in  the 


Two  Typical  Styles  in  Pencil  Stripes  for  Men's  Wear. 

finishing  department,  owing  to  the  extra  sewing  required.  It  is  simply  an 
example  of  saving  pennies  and  wasting  dollars.  An  additional  cent  or 
two  per  pound  in  the  price  of  the  yarns  would  save  several  times  that 
amount  in  the  manufacturing  cost  per  yard  on  the  goods. 

In  the  examples  shown  here  the  worsted  for  the  warp  is  2-40s  half- 
blood. 

Spun  on  the  Bradford  System, 

from  tops  made  from  a  choice  territory  wool.  The  filling  is  the  same  size, 
but  is  dry  spun,  that  is  to  say,  is  made  on  the  P'rench  system.  For  many 
years  manufacturers  were  strongly  opposed  to  the  use  of  French  spun 
yarns  in  cloth  for  "men's  wear,  but  of  late  this  prejudice  has  been  over- 
come to  a  considerable  extent,  and  to-day  many  mills  are  using  dry  spun 
yarns  in  all  their  men's  wear  fabrics.  There  are  several  advantages  to 
be  derived  from  the  use  of  such  yarns,  one  of  the  greatest  being  a 
slightly  better  handle  in  the  goods  made  from  French  spun  yarns  of  the 
same  grade,  or  even  from  the  identical  top.  To  s^^cure  the  best  results 
in  the  finished  goods  it  is  necessary  to  begin  at  the  grease  wool,  using  care 
and  judgment  in  every  process  of  yarn  manufacture  as  well  as  in  handling 
the  yarn  during  its  conversion  into  cloth.  The  fieeces  are  opened  by  the 
sorter,  given  a  shake  to  remove  loose  dirt  and  impurities,  and  then  spread 
on  the  sorting  bench  where  the  different  grades  are  separated  and  thrown 
Into  baskets.  It  is  essential  that  this  part  of  the  work  be  done  by  skilled 
workmen,  as  each  fleece  may  be  separated  into  several  grades,  the  various 
parts  of  the  sheep  having  an  entirely  different  character  of  wool. 
The  finest  part  of  the  fleece  grows  on  the  shoulders 
and      ^ides      of     the      animal.    Next      in      grade      is      that  from 


118 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  lower  part  of  the  back;  third,  that  from  the  loins  and  back; 
fourth,  that  from  the  upper  part  of  the  legs  and  neck.  Still  lower  in  qual- 
ity is  the  wool  from  the  lower  neck  and  middle  of  the  back,  with  the  breast, 
belly  and  skirtings  the  lowest  sort  in  the  fleece.  In  the  hands  of  a  skill- 
ful sorter,  the  fleece  is  capable  of  being  more  finely  subdivided  than  out- 
lined here,  ten  or  eleven  grades  frequently  being  made  from  a  single 
fleece.  In  scouring  fine  wools  the  use  of  a  pure  potash  soap  is  strongly 
advised.  The  use  of  soda  soaps  or  soda  compounds  of  any  kind  should  be 
prohibited  in  the  cleansing  of  fine  \>  ools  particularly,  as  the  action  of  soda 
is  injurious  to  the  fibre,  making  it  harsh  to  the  touch,  as  well  as  detract- 
ing from  its  spinning  qualities.  The  use  of  a  pure  potash  soap,  free  from 
uncombined  caustic  alkali,  will  be  productive  of  the  best  results.  Tests 
should  be  made  of  all  new  lots  of  soap  and  alkali  to  see  that  they  are  free 
from  impurities  that  may  be  injurious  to  the  stock  or  that  add  to  the  cost 
without  any  increase  of  detergent  properties.  The  scouring  liquor  should 
not  be  hot,  a  temperature  of  120  to  125  degrees  Fahrenheit  is  all  that  is 
needed  to  thoroughly  cleanse  the  fibre,  and  irremediable  damage  may  be 
done  by  excessive  heat. 

Another  Essential  Feature  in  Wool  Scouring 

is  a  supply  of  soft  water.  If  this  is  not  obtainable,  it  will  be  necessary  lo 
correct  the  hardness  of  the  available  supply  by  mechanical  or  chemical 
assistance.  The  wool  need  not  be  rinsed  nor  should  it  be  thoroughly  dry 
if  the  carding  process  is  to  immediately  follow  the  scouring.  The  action 
of  the  cards  on  the  moist  fibre  is  much  more  gentle  than  on  stock  that 
is  bone  dry.  The  fibres  in  a  moist  condition  are  more  pliable,  less  liable 
to  break,  and  are  combed  out  much  more  readily  with  a  considerable  lessen- 
ing of  noil  in  the  combing.  A  very  common  source  of  imperfect  yarn  is  a 
worn  covering  on  the  top  roll  of  the  roving  or  reducing  frames.  Slugs  are 
formed  here  which  entail  a  vast  amount  of  labor  in  the  finishing  room. 
All  the  top  rolls  should  be  inspected  at  least  twice  daily,  all  defective 
rolls  removed  and  replaced  by  those  In  perfect  condition.  A  very  little 
time  and  expense  here  will  save  hours  of  expensive  labor  in  later  opera- 
tions. The 

Inspection  of  the  Yarns 

in  the  spinning  mill  should  not  be  hurried.  A  method  which  has  many 
points  in  its  favor  is  that  used  by  one  of  our  best  mills.  All  j-arns,  even 
those  to  be  delivered  in  the  form  of  skeins,  are  first  run  onto  jack  spools 
at  a  slow  rate  of  speed,  enabling  the  operative  to  detect  imperfections 
very  readily  as  the  yarns  pass  over  the  inspection  board.  By  using  a  low 
rate  of  speed  and  a  comparatively  low  number  of  ends,  the  inspection  is 
practically  perfect  and  the  relatively  higher  cost  of  this  close  inspection 
is  amply  justified  by  the  superior  working  of  the  yarn  in  subsequent  op- 
erations as  well  as  the  greatly  reduced  expense  of  mending.  The  custom 
in  nearly  all  mills  making  fabrics  of  this  type  is  to  dress  on  a  dry  frame 
and  weave  without  sizing.  The  better  way  is  to  run  through  a  slasher 
after  dressing,  as  a  sized  warp  will  run  better  in  the  loom  than  one  not  so 
treated.   It  should  not  be  necessary  to  dress  the 

Sill<  on  a  Separate  Beam 

if  due  care  is  used  in  the  dressing  department.  The  silk  threads  should 
be  allowed  to  run  with  very  little  fraction,  as  they  are  very  much  less 
elastic  than  the  worsted  and  will  cause  considerable  trouble  in  the  weav- 
ing by  excessive  breakage  if  dressed  too  tight.  In  burling  every  knot 
must  be  raised  on  both  sides  of  the  cl  oth,  all  foreign  matter,  such  as  bits  of 
dirt  or  chaff,  removed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  disturb  the  texture  as  little 
as  possible.  The  sewers  will  replace  all  broken  ends  and  picks,  coarse 
threads  or  hard  twist  and  remove  the  slugs.  Scouring  is  an  important 
part  of  the  finishing  of  any  type  of  fabric  and  is  especially  important  in  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


119 


case  of  goods  which  are  subsequently  to  be  dyed.  In  the  majority  of 
cases  of  shady  goods,  the  cause  will  be  found,  not  in  the  dyehouse  as  is 
quite  generally  supposed  to  be  the  case,  but  in  the  finishing  room,  and  in 
most  cases  the  washing  is  the  process  at  fault.  It  is  impossible  for  the 
dyer  to  get  level  shades  on  goods  containing  dirt  or  soap.  Worsted  goods 
should  not  require  severe  treatment  in  the  scouring,  as  they  are  com- 
paratively free  from  the  dirt  and  grease  usually  found  in 

Carded  Woolens. 

A  pure,  neutral,  palm  oil  soap  should  be  used,  built  up  with  a  pure  alkali 
to  a  strength  sufficient  to  saponify  the  oils  contained  in  the  goods.  The 
goods  should  be  run  in  the  soap  bath  from  20  to  30  minutes,  then  washed 
oft*  in  warm  water  for  15  minutes  followed  by  a  rinsing  for  half  an  hour  in 
clear  cold  water.  After  extracting,  the  goods  should  be  rollad  on  a  machine 
which  will  remove  all  wrinkles  and  stretch  them  slightly  in  width,  allowing 
them  to  remain  on  the  rolls  over  night.  A  process,  more  to  be  recommended 
than  this,  however,  is  the  continuous  crabbing,  for  which  several  makes 
of  machines  are  on  the  market.  Next  morning  the  pieces  may  be  uni-olled 
and  are  ready  for  the  dyehouse.  The  goods  are  usually  colored  in  a  kettle 
holding  from  six  to  ten  pieces,  but  must  not  be  overcrowded.  Do  not  bring 
to  a  boil  too  rapidly,  but  allow  ample  time  to  secure  complete  penetration. 
After  dyeing,  rinse  well  in  cold  water,  extract  and  dry.  The  hastening  of 
the  drying  operation  by  means  of  excessive  heat  must  be  avoided,  as  it  has 
a  decided  tendency  to  tinge  the  silk  stripe  a  yellowish  shade.  Give  a  run 
on  the  polisher,  brush,  shear  and  press.  After  pressing,  a  run  on  the  dewing 
machine  will  improve  the  handle  very  materially.  After  a  final  inspection 
the  goods  are  ready  for  rolling  up,  and  if  the  pieces  have  received  the  care 
and  attention  they  should  have  in  the  various  processes,  the  silk  will  be 
found  clear  white,  with  the  beauty  and  luster  improved  rather  than  dimin- 
ished. 


LAYOUT. 
4,828   ends;   reed   18 — 4  = 
listing  =  681/^"  over  all. 
72  picks. 

Dressing  pattern: 

2/48  white  16  16  32 
60/2  silk  2  2 

34 


CALCULATIONS. 
284   ends   60/2   silk   =   .vo  cz. 

10%   

4,544    ends    2/48     =     5.4  oz. 

10%   

72  X  68.5 

2  picks  2/48  ■■ 


67"   +    1%"  for 


Loom  weight 


48X560-^2^16 


.099  oz. 
5.940  oz. 
■■    5.870  oz. 
11.909  oz. 


COST. 

.099   oz.    silk    4-    3%   waste  =  1.01 

oz.    (Qj   $3.40  per  lb  =  $  .0240 

11.81    oz.    worsted    -f    5%    waste  = 
.    12.43  oz.   @  9Gc.  per  lb  =  .7458 


Cost  of  stock    $  .7698 

Cost  of  manufacturing,  72  picks..  =  .3750 

Net   mill   cost    $1.1448 

.Celling  price   $1.42V2:    terms,  10-30. 


120 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


NEEDLE  CORDS 

The  manufacture  of  staple  dress  fabrics  such  as  this  is  confined  almost 
entirely  to  a  few  of  our  large  corporations  who  specialize  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent on  goods  of  similar  construction.  Only  a  few  years  since,  buyers  for 
our  large  department  stores  considered  it  necessary  to  buy  the  larger  part 
of  their  high-texture  dress  goods  in  the  foreign  market,  but  of  late  domestic 
mills  have  given  more  attention  to  the  production  of  such  cloths,  with  the 
result  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  business  has  been  taken  by  American 
mills.  The  difficulty  of  weaving  fine  single  yarns  was  probably  the  strong- 
est argument  against  attempting  to  produce  such  fabrics  here,  but  improved 
methods  and  machinery,  combined  with  increased  skill  of  the  operative,  has 
enabled  domestic  manufacturers  to  produce  results  that  in  all  respects  are 
equal  to  those  attained  abroad.  The  needle  cord  derives  its  name  from  the 
peculiar  effect  produced  by  the  weave  used  in  interlacing  the  warp  and 
weft,  the  fine  ribs,  in  some  cases  as  many  as  24  to  the  inch,  showing  the 
appearance  that  might  be  expected  to  result  from  innumerable  punctures 
with  a  needle.  One  of  the  great  objections  to  turning  the  equipment  of  a  mill 
to  this  class  of  fabrics  is  the  fine  spinning  required,  with  the  consequent 
smaller  production  per  spindle,  and  the  very  much  less  yardage  produced 
per  loom,  owing  to  the  high  number  of  picks  per  inch  in  part,  and  partially 
also  to  the  slower  speed  at  which  it  is  necessary  to  operate  the  looms 
when  weaving  fine  single  warps. 

The  yarns  used  must  be  well  spun,  free  as  possible  from  slugs  and  oth- 
er manufacturing  imperfections.  In  order  to  avoid  the  breakage  in  weav- 
ing which  would  be  caused  by  the  interlacing  of  the  fibres  clinging  to  the 
yarn  made  on  frames,  the  yarns  used  in  fine  fabrics  of  this  character  are 
invariably  mule  spun.  This  method  of  yarn  manufacture  produces  a  much 
smoother  thread  than  can  be  made  on  frames  by  either  cap  or  flier  spin- 
ning. In  addition  to  this,  another  process  is  added  to  the  yarn  making,  that 
is,  the 

Warp  Yarns  Are  "Gassed" 

or  singed.  This  operation  consists  of  passing  the  thread  between  gas  flames, 
so  adjusted  as  to  burn  off  the  extending  fibres  without  injury  to  the  thread 
itself.  The  result  is  an  extremely  smooth  thread  which  presents  much  less 
opportunity  for  chafing  than  one  not  so  treated. 

The  warps  are  run  through  the  slasher,  which  gives  them  a  coat  of  size, 
evenly  distributed  and  thoroughly  dried  before  the  yarn  is  wound  on  the 
beam.  Care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  the  drying  is  completed  in  the  ma- 
chine or  the  entire  warp  will  be  spoiled.  Should  the  yarn  be  moist  as  it 
winds  on  the  beam,  successive  layers  will  become  so  matted  together  that 
it  will  be  impossible  to  weave  them  off  except  with  a  maximum  of  labor  and 
expense  and  with  a  great  opportunity  for  the  making  of  imperfect  goods. 
The  best  sizing  materials  to  use  is  a  much-discussed  question.  Some  mills 
will  have  nothing  but  the  best  fish  glue  used,  while  others  find  many  of  the 
prepared  sizes  on  the  market  very  satisfactory.  To  obtain  the  best  results  a 
size  must  be  used  which  possesses  the  qualities  of  good  penetration,  strong 
adhesive  powers  and  drying  hard,  still  retaining  a  certain  degree  of  elas- 
ticity, and  one  that  will  stand  considerable  chafing  without  pulverizing. 
Without  such  a  size,  the  weaving  of  fine  single  warps  becomes  impractical, 
as  no  weaver  could  be  found  to  operate  the  looms  under  conditions  such 
as  would  then  exist. 

The  finishing  of  needle  cords  does  not  differ  materially  from  the  process 
used  on  a  variety  of  clear-finished  dress  goods.  The  burling  should  be  done 
carefully,  all  knots  removed  and  slugs  reduced.  Scouring  should  be  accom- 
plished by  the  use  of  a  pure  neutral  soap  built  up  to  suitable  strength  with 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


121 


a  mild  alkali.  After  scouring,  the  pieces  should  go  at  once  to  the  crabbing 
machine.  For  this  work  a 

Continuous  Crab  Is  Preferable 
to  either  the  single  or  double  crab  of  the  Yorkshire  type.  There  are  several 
reasons  for  this  preference,  as  the  operation  is  continuous  and  the  machine 
does  the  work  with  less  labor  and  expense.  From  the  crab  the  goods  should 
be  rolled  tightly  on  wooden  rolls,  covered  with  cotton  cloth  and  allowed  to 
stand  for  at  least  twenty-four  hours,  the  rolls  being  turned  end  for  end  at 
intervals  of  not  exceeding  eight  hours. 

The  dyeing  is  done  in  the  usual  manner,  the  kettle  holding  from  ten 
to  sixteen  pieces,  according  to  the  length  of  pieces  and  size  of  tub.  It  is 
unwise  to  crowd  the  kettle,  as  good  results  cannot  be  expected  if  the  ma- 
chine is  overloaded.  When  the  correct  shade  is  obtained,  the  dye  liquor  is 
drawn  off,  the  goods  cooled  and  rinsed  in  the  kettle,  then  extracted  and 
dried.  After  drying,  the  pieces  are  given  a  few  runs  on  the  brush,  then 
sheared  or  singed,  brushed,  inspected  and  pressed.  For  goods  of  this  char- 
acter, or  in  fact  any  other  class  of  goods,  the  old-style  plate  press  will  give 
superior  results. 


LAYOUT. 

4,992   ends;   reed  13—6   ==   64"   +    l^^"  for 

listing  =   651^"  over  all. 
160  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
4,992  ends   1/36   =   3.96   oz.    +  7% 

take-up   =    4.26  oz. 

65%X160 

160  picks  1/48  =   .  .  =    6.24  oz. 

(48X560)-J-16   

Loom  weight    10.50  oz. 


COST. 

4.26  oz.    +   5%   waste   =4.47  oz.  @ 

88c.  per  lb  =  $  .2459 

6.24  oz.    +3%  waste  =   6.42  oz.  @ 

96c.  per  lb  =  .3852 


Stock  cost    $  .6311 

Manufacturing.   160  picks   =  .6300 


Net  cost    $1.2611 


O  ■■■■□□□□■•□D 


COnON  MIXTURE  THIBETS 

The  thibet  is  a  fabric  much  used  for  overcoatings  in  the  heavier  weights, 
and  may  be  made  from  pure  wool,  as  are  the  higher  grade  cloths,  or  with  a 
mixture  of  cotton,  shoddy  and  wool,  as  is  the  usual  custom  in  manufactur- 
ing the  lower-priced  cloths.  The  appearance  of  the  goods  is  somewhat 
similar  to  a  melton,  but  has  not  the  characteristic  melton  touch.  The  stock 
mixture  must  be  governed  to  a  great  extent  by  the  price  at  which  it  is  in- 
tended to  sell  the  finished  goods,  but  it  is  essential  that  the  materials  lised 
shall  have  sufficient  felting  properties  to  give  a  good  cover  to  the  face  with- 
out excessive  gigging  or  tender  goods  will  result,  one  of  the  worst  mishaps 
that  can  befall  a  mill.  Imperfections  of  other  kinds  may  be  overcome  to  a 
certain  extent  or  the  goods  sold  as  seconds  at  no  great  loss,  but  materials 
that  are  tender  are  practically  impossible  to  dispose  of  at  any  price,  except 
at  their  value  as  rags. 

The  greater  part  of  the  thibets  are  either  solid  shades  or  mixtures,  but 
occasionally  they  are  used  as  the  groundwork  for  a  pencil  stripe  or  other 
fancy  pattern.  The  fabric  is  what  might  be  termed  a  ''finisher's  cloth,"  that 
is  to  say,  it  has  little  indication  as  it  comes  from  the  loom  of  what  it  will 
become  under  treatment  by  a  skilled  finisher  with  an  equipment  of  machin- 
ery such  as  is  found  in  a  modern  woolen  mill  finishing  room.  As  the  goods 
come  from  the  loom  they  are  of  coarse,  open  texture,  and  to  the  ordinary 


122 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


observer  it  would  seem  well-nigh  impossible  for  them  to  be  so  manipulated 
as  to  become  the  soft,  smooth-faced  fabric  fit  to  clothe  the  most  fastidious. 
For  the  production  of  the  sample  here  described  the  stock  mixture  for  the 
warp  was  made  up  of  the  following: 


20%   cotton   @   16c  =  3.2c. 

10%   wool   @   4  0c  =  4.0c. 

40%   curd  waste   @   10c  ==  4.0c. 

30%  coarse  extract  @  12c....  =  3.6c. 


Total  cost  per  pound   14.8c. 


The  filling  mixture  should  have  a  larger  percentage  of  wool  in  order  to 
secure  the  necessary  felting  properties  but  in  the  manufacture  of  a  low-pric- 
ed fabric  such  as  this,  it  is  essential  that  the  stock  be  secured  at  as  low  a 
price  as  is  compatible  with  the  results  to  be  obtained.  For  the  filling  we  will 
use  a  mixture  made  up  of  the  following: 


15%  wool   @   40c  =  6.0c. 

15%   cotton    @    16c  =  2.4c. 

30%  card   wayte   @   10c  =  3.0c. 

40%  coarse  extract  @   12c  =  4.8c. 


Total   cost  per  pound   16.2c. 


The  stock  costs  here  given  may  look  extremely  low  and  lead  one  to 
think  that  the  work  will  run  badly  through  the  mill,  but  such  is  not  the 
case.  With  competent  men  in  charge  of  the  carding  and  spinning  depart- 
ments, there  will  be  no  trouble  in  making  a  thread  that  will  be  strong  enough 
to  weave  without  any  difliculty  and  secure  an  excellent  production. 

In  preparing  lots  of  this  character  for  the  card  room  it  will  be  found 
necessary  to  use  more  care  than  would  be  the  case  were  the  stock  all  wool 
of  one  or  two  grades.  In  order  that  the  goods  may  full  evenly  and  give  no 
trouble  in  the  dyeing,  it  is  very  essential  that  the  various  stocks  should  be 
blended  into  a  homogeneous  mixture.  The  lot  should  be  laid  out  in  the 
picker  room  in  layers,  containing  as  nearly  as  may  be,  without  too  much 
labor,  the  correct  percentages  of  the  various  stocks.  The  oil  should  be  put 
on  the  wool  stock,  as  the  cotton  will  absorb  all  that  it  requires  from  con- 
tact with  the  moist  layers  of  woolen  material.  While  it  is  a  common  practice 
to  use  a  mineral  oil  as  a  lubricant  for  low-grade  woolens,  it  is  not  to  be 
commended.  Mineral  oils  are  not  readily  saponified,  and  there  is  possibil- 
ity of  having  considerable  trouble  in  removing  the  oil  during  the  finishing 
process.   A  much  safer  method  of  procedure  is  to 

Use  Either  a  Lard  or  Red  Oil, 
either  of  which  will  saponify  without  difficulty,  and  may  be  removed  with 
detergents  of  a  much  less  harsh  character  than  would  be  required  in  the 
use  of  a  mineral  oil.  The  emulsion  may  be  prepared  by  placing  in  a  barrel 
two  pails  of  water  to  each  pail  of  oil  and  cutting  the  oil  with  borax  or  some 
mild  alkali.  The  emulsion  should  be  applied  warm,  about  twelve  quarts  to 
the  hundred  pounds  of  stock,  which  will  give  an  application  of  four  quarts 
of  oil.  The  stock  should  be  run  through  the  picker  three  times  to  obtain 
thorough  mixing,  or  the  lack  of  even  distribution  of  the  various  stocks 
through  the  mixture  may  become  the  source  of  trouble  in  subsequent  opera- 
tions. The  cards  should  be  in  first-class  condition,  although  many  manu- 
facturers seem  to  think  that  low  stock  may  be  put  through  any  sort  of  a 
machine  and  good  results  be  obtained. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  attempt  to  make  yarn  from  any  kind  of  stock 
without  first  making  certain  that  the  equipment  is  in  the  best  possible  con- 
dition. The 

Carding  of  SFiort  Stock 

requires  no  little  skill  and  experience,  as  there  is  a  strong  tendency  for  the 
shoddy  and  card  waste  to  leave  the  mixture,  dropping  under  the  cards,  while 
the  longer  cotton  and  wool  fibres  are  carried  on  by  the  clotMn^  and  jQqil- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


123 


verted  Into  roving.  It  may  be  necessary  to  change  the  setting  of  the  cards, 
and  to  slow  up  the  fancies  if  not  the  main  cylinder  to  obviate  too  great  a  loss 
of  the  short  stock.  It  is  a  decided  advantage  to  have  the  cards  doubled  up 
for  work  of  this  kind,  that  is,  to  place  the  first  and  second  breakers  as  near 
together  as  possible,  interpolate  a  couple  of  extra  rolls  as  conveyers  which 
will  take  the  stock  from  the  first  breaker  doffer  and  carry  it  to  the  cylinder 
of  the  second  breaker  without  the  intervention  of  the  Apperly  feed.  The 
roving  should  be  made  at  least  two-thirds  the  size  of  the  yarn  to  be  spun, 
as  the  stock  will  stand  but  a  limited  amount  of  draft.  The  warp  yarn  should 
be  spun  with  the  least  amount  of  twist  that  will  give  the  requisite  strength, 
md  should  be  right-hand  twist.  The  filling  may  have  considerably  less 
twist,  and  must  be  spun  to  the  left  in  order  to  obtain  all  the  cover  possible. 
Dress  with  no  more  tension  on  the  spools  than  is  necessary  to  give  a  fairly 
firm  warp  on  the  reel,  as  it  is  essential  to  retain  all  the 

Elasticity  and  Life 

possible  in  the  yarns.  It  will  prove  advantageous  to  draw  the  warps  on 
eight  harnesses,  thereby  avoiding  unnecessary  crowding  of  the  heddles  and 
undue  chafing  of  the  threads  during  the  process  of  weaving. 

It  is  a  great  mistake,  and  one  frequently  made,  to  think  that  all  that  is 
required  of  a  loom  fixer  is  to  put  the  warp  in  the  loom,  fasten  the  harness 
straps,  tie  in  the  warp,  adjust  the  reed  and  start  the  loom.  This  is  all  sim- 
ply preliminary  work.  After  the  heading  has  been  woven  and  the  broken 
ends  tied  in,  the  loom  should  be  gone  over  with  care  to  see  that  it  is  in  the 
best  possible  shape  to  weave  the  particular  fabric  it  is  desired  to  produce. 
Adjustments  of  various  parts  may  be  made,  which,  while  seeming  of  little 
importance,  may  affect  the  production  very  materially.  The  point  at  which 
the  shed  closes,  relative  to  the  position  of  the  reed,  the  timing  of  the  har- 
ness motion  cylinders,  and  the  picking  motion,  are  all  minor  details,  but  in 
total  of  extreme  importance.  The  shuttles  should  have  a  thorough  examina- 
tion, and  all  rough  places  gone  over  with  sand  paper,  the  points  put  in  per- 
fect condition  and  the  "brushes"  adjusted  so  as  to  give  the  proper  amount  of 
friction  on  the  fillings  to  prevent  "runners"  or  filling  drawing  in  at  the  sides. 
The  picking  motion  should  be  set  in  such  a  manner  that  both  sides  of  the 
loom  pick  together,  or  with  possibly  a  slight  lead  on  the  head  motion  side. 
The  height  of  the  harnesses  should  be  suflicient  to  allow  the  bottom  shed  to 
clear  the  race  plate  nicely,  yet  not  high  enough  to  throw  out  the  shuttle  or 
cause  split  bobbins.  Should  the  reed  be  shorter  than  the  reed  space  at  either 
or  both  ends,  fill  in  the  space,  if  of  any  size  with  small  pieces  of  reed,  nicely 
adjusted,  avoiding  a  too  common  trouble,  that  of  having  the  shuttles  fly  out, 
which  not  only  lowers  production  but  is  a  source  of  danger  to  the  operative. 

With  well-made  yarns  the  burling  and  mending  will  be  a  small  item  in 
the  cost  of  finishing,  but  it  must  not  be  understood  that  the  burling  can  be 
slighted.  All  knots  should  be  raised  on  both  sides  of  the  goods,  not  pulled 
out  or  broken  off  too  short,  as  such  procedure  will  allow  the  ends  to  be 
drawn  back  in  the  fulling,  leaving  a  "pin  hole,"  which  may  not  be  detected 
except  by  looking  through  the  goods.    In  order  to 

Obtain  a  Well -Covered  Face 

on  fabric  constructed  of  low  stock,  such  as  we  propose  to  use,  it  will  require 
a  run  on  the  napping  machine  before  fulling.  It  will  appear  to  some  of  our 
finisher  friends  that  this  method  is  somewhat  out  of  the  ordinary,  but  the 
results  obtained  fully  justify  this  procedure.  This  breaking  up  of  the  face 
in  the  grease  before  fulling  will  give  a  much  better  fabric  than  one  finsihed 
in  the  ordinary  manner. 

By  this  preliminary  napping  the  fibres  are  put  into  much  better  condi- 
tion for  felting  during  the  fulling  operation.  In  running  the  pieces  into  the 
mill  start  them  with  the  nap  pointing  toward  the  rolls,  as  a  much  more 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


closely  matted  surface  will  be  obtained  in  this  way.  The  soap  will  need 
to  be  full  bodied,  long  lived,  and  well  fortified  with  alkali  to  fully  saponify 
the  grease  and  oil  contained  in  the  low  stock  mixture.  A  combination  of 
fifty  per  cent  pure  tallow  and  fifty  per  cent  palm  oil  will  be  found  to  do  the 
work  nicely.  We  do  not  advocate  the  use  of  tallow  soaps  on  goods  which 
may  be  fulled  in  a  short  time,  but  for  fabrics  which  require  long,  hard  fulling 
they  are  practically  a  necessity,  as  palm  oil  soaps  will  not  retain  their  vi- 
tality under  these  conditions.   It  is  impossible  to  give  a 

Hard-and-Fast  Formula 

which  will  give  perfect  results  on  all  kinds  of  goods,  each  finisher  usually 
having  certain  proportions  of  soap  and  alkali  which  he  has  found  to  be  well 
adapted  for  the  stocks  and  fabrics  manufactured  by  the  mill  in  which  he  is 
employed. 

If  the  soap  used  is  of  the  proper  strength  to  hold  the  grease  and  dirt  in 
suspension  through  the  process  of  fulling,  it  is  very  probable  that  no  addi- 
tional quantity  will  be  required  in  the  washer.  The  pieces  should  be  taken 
directly  from  the  mills  to  the  washing  machine  and  scoured  with  sufficient 
warm  water  to  float  them  and  rinse  out  the  impurities.  After  twenty  to  thirty 
minutes  in  the  suds  the  dirty  liquor  should  be  drawn  off  and  the  goods 
given  a  thorough  rinsing,  first  with  warm  then  with  cold  water,  until  every 
trace  of  soap  has  been  removed.  Extract  for  five  minutes  and  place  on  the 
napper  before  sending  them  to  the  dyehouse.  Thibets  should  not  be  nap- 
ped all  one  way,  but  the  pieces  should  be  reversed  at  about  the  middle  of 
the  operation.  On  the  fabric  here  described  three  runs  in  each  direction 
should  be  enough  to  give  the  desired  amount  of  nap. 

The  dyeing  is  accomplished  by  means  of  any  good  union  dye,  and  plenty 
of  time  must  be  given  to  secure  thorough  penetration  of  the  fibre.  Do  not 
overload  the  kettle  or  bring  to  a  boil  too  rapidly  or  uneven  goods  may  be 
the  result.  The  goods  must  be  cooled  off  and  well  rinsed  before  being  re- 
moved from  the  dye  kettle,  then  thoroughly  extracted  and  dried.  In 
drying,  the 

Heat  Must  Not  Be  Excessive 

or  the  handle  of  the  cloth  will  be  seriously  impaired.  When  dry,  give  the 
pieces  a  couple  of  runs  on  the  brush,  then  shear  to  match  the  finish  desir- 
ed. If  the  goods  have  been  properly  handled  they  will  have  a  short  thick 
nap     with     no     threads     visible.     Give    the    pieces    a   final  inspec- 


LAYOUT. 

2.800  ends;   reed    10 — 4   =    70"    +  for 

listing  =   71.5"  over  ail. 
\0  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,800   ends  2%    run   =  10.18   oz.  4- 

5%   =  10.70  oz. 

71.5X40 

40  picks  3  run  =   =    9.53  oz. 

300   

Jjoom  weight    20.23  oz. 

Finished  weight  14-14 oz. 

8  harness,  straight  draw. 

FRONT. 

■■■□■■HQ 


COST. 

10.7  oz.  warp    +   25%  shrinkage  = 

14.27  oz.  ^  14.8c.  per  lb  =  I  .1278 

9.53  oz.  filling  +  25%  shrinkage  = 

12.7  oz.   @   16.2c.  per  lb  =  .1287 

$  .2560 

Labor   =  .2000 

Incidentals   =  .1200 

Net  mill  cost    $  .5760 

Profit   =  .0640 

Discount,     commission     and  guar- 
antee  =  .1600 

Selling:  price    S  .8000 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


125 


tion  before  brushing,  and  a  run  of  steam  before  they 
are  placed  on  the  dewing  machine.  It  will  be  found  that  a  fairly  heavy  spray 
may  be  used  to  advantage  hefore  pressing,  thereby  improving  both  the  han- 
dle and  appearance  of  the  goods.  Run  on  the  press  with  face  to  the  cylin- 
der under  fairly  heavy  pressure,  give  a  light  run  of  steam  and  the  goods  are 
ready  for  rolling  up. 


ZIBEUNE  COATINGS 

The  name  zibeline  is  applied  to  many  fabrics  which  are  somewhat  allied 
in  appearance  to  the  real  zibeline,  yet  are  made  from  entirely  different 
stock  and  are  easily  detected  as  imitations.  The  present  fall  season's 
offerings  of  ladies'  coatings  are  made  up  largely  of  fabrics  under  this 
name,  while  but  few  of  them  are  rightfully  entitled  to  it.  The  true  zibe- 
line is  a  fabric  with  a  straight,  glossy  nap  which  entirely  obscures  the 
weave,  and  a  rich  luster  which  closely  approximates  that  of  a  glossy  fur. 
The  imitations  are  largely  made  of  a  coarse  wool  and,  though  finished 
in  a  similar  manner,  are  entirely  lacking  in  the  rich  glossy  appearance 
which  denotes  the  real  article.  The  construction  of  these  fabrics  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  the  ordinary  cheviot,  the  important  differenca  being  in 
the  stock  employed.  In  the  cheviot  a  coarse  wool  is  used  which  is  more 
or  less  curly  in  its  nature,  while  in  the  manufacture  of  the  zibeline  a  per- 
centage of  mohair  is  blended  with  the  wool.  Mohair  is  the  fleece  of  the 
Angora  goat,  and  is  a  long  comparatively  straight  fibre,  having  a  silky 
luster,  which  gives  the  finished  goods  a  bright  glossy  appearance  whicn 
it  is  impossible  to  attain  with  wool.  There  are  several  variations  of  the 
fabric  which  are  popular  this  season,  some  in  single  cloths,  others  witn 
fancy  backs  in  stripes  or  plaids,  some  with  the  face   of  a   solid  color, 


Zibeline  Coating 


others  with  a  distinct  color  pattern  on  both  face  and  back  of  the  goods. 
The  style  here  first  described  is  a  single  cloth  of  a  solid  color,  probably 
woven  in  the  white  on  the  double  loom  system,  with  a  warp  of  fine  yarns 
in  the  second  loom,    "^he  yarns  are  coarse  and 

Require  No  Special  Skill 
in  their  manufacture,  though  trouble  may  come  in  the  spinning,  if  an  attempt 


126 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


is  made  to  spin  with  too  much  draft,  owing  to  the  slippery  nature  of  the 
mohair  fibre,  due  to  the  comparative  lack  of  the  imbrications  or  serra- 
tions peculiar  to  wool.  The  pieces  are  fulled  and  scoured  as  usual,  then 
put  on  the  wet  gig  to  raise  and  straighten  the  nap.  This  operation  is  car- 
ried on  while  the  goods  are  wet,  as  the  tangled  fibres  are  much  more 
readily  straightened  out  while  rendered  soft  and  pliable  by  the  water. 

The  wire  napper  is  not  as  well  adapted  to  this  class  of  fabrics  as  the 
old-fashioned  teasel  gig  which  is  not  so  harsh  in  its  action.  The 
gigging  is  all  in  one  direction,  as  the  desired  result  is  a  long  straight 
nap.  When  the  pieces  are  napped  sufficiently  they  are  placed  on  a  w^t 
brush  to  thoroughly  straighten  out  and  lay  the  fibres  close  to  the  cloth. 
The  roll  on  which  the  cloth  is  wound  on  this  machine  is  a  tube  with  many 
perforations,  connected  with  pipes  and  valves  which  permit  of  forcing 
steam  or  water  through  the  goods  while  rolled.  The  blowing  of  hot  steam 
through  the  pieces  followed  by  cold  water  sets  the  cloth  and  Imparts 
an  added  luster.  If  piece  dyes,  the  goods  are  now  ready  for  the  dye- 
house  and  are  usually  colored  in  kettles  holding  from  six  to  eight  pieces. 
In  coloring  napped  goods  it  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  pieces  run  in 
the  direction  opposite  to  that  in  which  the  nap  is  laid  in  order  to  disturb 
it  as  little  as  possible.  After  drying  the  goods  are  examined  for  imper- 
fections, knots,  etc.,  brushed  well  and  run  through  the  press,  face  to  the 
bed. 


LAYOUT. 

1.564  ends;  reed  11 V2 — 2  = 
listing   =   69 V^"  over  all. 
2.S  picks. 


+  IV2"  for 


STOCK  MIXTURE. 

50%  wool  @  40c.  per  lb  = 

50%  mohair  noil  @   36c.  per  lb..= 


$  .20000 
.18000 


CALCULATIONS. 
1.564  ends  2 run  =  6.256  oz. 

7%   

28  X  69  l^ 

28  pick.«  = 


Cost  per  lb.  . 
Cost  per  ounce 


$  .38000 
.02375 


250 

Loom  weight 


=  6.694  oz. 
=    7.784  oz. 


14.48   oz.  + 

oz.  @  $.02375 
Manufacturing 


COST. 
20%  shrinkage  =  18 


.=  $  .4299 
.=  .2850 


14.478  oz. 


Mill  cost 


$  .7149 


The  novelty  fabric  here  illustra 
face  a  zibeline  with  an  ordinary  wool 
of  manufacture  is  practically  the  sa 

LAYOUT. 

2.520    ends;    reed    9 — 4    =    70"    +    1%"  for 

listing   =   711/^"  over  all. 
28  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
840  ends   2/36  cotton   =  .89  oz.  -f 

10%   take-up   =     .98  oz. 

1,680  ends  I14  run  =  13.44  oz.  -f 

10%    take-up   =  14.78  oz. 

28X71.5 

28  picks  1%  =     =  15.28  oz. 

137.5   

Loom  weight   31.04  oz. 

Finished  weight  24  oz. 

COST. 

.98  oz.   cotton   -f-    5%   waste   =  1.03 

oz.    @    32c  =  $  .0206 

15.03    oz.    mohair    mixture    -f-  20% 

waste   =-   18.8  oz.    @  34.8c  =  .4080 

15.03    oz.     woolen    mixture    -f  20% 

waste  =  18.8  oz.   @  36.5c  =  .4287 


ted  is  a  double  cloth  having  for  its 
en  cloth  for  the  back.  The  process 
me  as  for  the  piece-dye  zibeline  in 

MOHAIR  MIXTURE. 

40%  mohair  noils  @   32c  =  $  .128 

20%,  wool  @  40c  =  .080 

40%   crossbred  noil    @    35c  =  .140 


WOOLEN  MIXTURE. 

30%  wool   @  40c  

70%  crossbred  noil   @  35c  


$  .348 


$  .120 
.245 


$  .365 


■■□«■■■■□■□■■□□□ 
■■□■■□■□■■■□□□■a 


Manufacturing 
Mill  cost  . 


$  .8573 
.=  .2856 


$1.1429 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


127 


the  foregoing  analysis,  the  chief  element  of  difference  in  the  two  fabrics 
being  the  construction.  The  yarns  used  in  the  face  of  the  double  cloth  are 
of  the  same  mixture  as  used  in  the  single  cloth,  and  the  yarns  for  the  back  are 
made  entirely  of  wool.  In  the  construction  of  fabrics  of  this  type  having 
the  face  and  back  of  strongly  contrasting  colors,  it  will  be  found  necessary 
to  unite  the  two  cloths  by  means  of  an  extra  warp  in  order  to  avoid 
having  the  back  show  through  on  the  face,  as  would  be  very  apt  to  occur 
if  the  back  warp  was  interlaced  with  the  face.  The  extra  warp  may  be 
of  worsted,  as  is  customary  with  high-priced  cloths,  or  of  cotton,  and 
should  be  interlaced  in  such  a  manner  as  to  avoid  having  the  interlacing 
form  a  pattern  that  is  discernible  on  either  side.  In  the  cloth  here  de- 
scribed the  stitch  warp  is  of  2-36  cotton  interlaced  on  a  satin  plan  which 
hides  it  effectually.  The  stripe  effect  on  the  face  of  the  sample  is  obtained 
by  reversing  the  weave  on  two  of  the  warp  threads  face  and  back,  throw- 
ing the  back  to  the  face  and  vice  versa,  giving  a  clean  cut  stripe  of  the 
contrasting  colors. 

The  particular  pattern  here  described  would  be  the  most  expensive 
of  the  range,  as  the  white  back  will  not  permit  of  using  any  shoddy.  In 
the  darker  colors  the  stock  for  the  back  warp  and  filling  can  be  manipu- 
lated so  as  to  reduce  the  cost  materially. 


FANCY  BACK  PRUNELLA 

This  is  one  of  the  modern  variations  of  an  ancient  and  well-known  cloth, 
one  possibly  as  familiar  to  our  grandmothers  as  the  serge  is  to  the  present 
generation.  In  recent  years  this  fabric  has  had  but  little  vogue  as  a  costume 
cloth  and  has  been  used  to  a  great  extent  for  shoe  tops.  Its  name  is  derived 
from  the  French  prunelle,  a  plum,  presumably  from  the  color  it  most  com- 
monly bore  in  early  times.  Some  years  ago  it  was  a  much  esteemed  fabric, 
and  was  used  for  many  purposes  which  in  these  times  require  a  much  finer 
fabric  of  higher  texture  and  more  expensive  construction.  It  possesses  wear- 
ing qualities  that  surpass  those  of  many  more  expensive  cloths  and  is  warm 
without  being  bulky.  The  example  here  described  is  made  with  worsted 
face  warp  and  filling,  with  a  two-ply  cotton  back  in  stripes  one-sixth  of  an 
inch  wide,  alternate  black  and  white.  The  weave  employed  is  the  seven- 
harness  satin  for  both  back  and  face,  one  being  the  reverse  of  the  other.  In 
a  construction  of  this  kind  it  would  be  perfectly  feasible  to  use  a  cotton  fill- 
ing also,  as  the  weft  is  entirely  concealed  from  view  by  the  close  texture 
and  clever  interlacing  of  the  warp.  The  goods  may  be  woven  in  the  grey 
and  piece  dyed  by  a  selection  of  dyes  that  will  not  stain  the  cotton  while 
coloring  the  worsted  threads,  and  is  the  method  usually  used,  as  it  retains 
the  waste  in  the  white,  a  much  more  valuable  form  of  by-product  and  one 
more  readily  salable  than  is  colored  thread  waste.  The  yarns  used  for  the 
face  warp  are  not  of  fine  grade,  nor  particularly  fine  counts,  the  stock  used 
being  a 

Three- Eighths  Blood  Missouri  Fleece 

spun  to  2-40s  for  the  warp  and  single  36s  for  filling.  The  apparently  great 
discrepancy  in  texture  does  not  result  in  such  a  poorly-balanced  cloth  as 
might  be  supposed,  but  has  a  tendency  to  accentuate  the  desired  characteris- 
tic of  the  fabric,  that  is,  to  make  it  a  more  decided  warp  cloth,  if  that  be 
possible.  In  fabrics  of  high  texture,  both  in  warp  and  filling,  the  prunella 
becomes  practically  a  repellant,  and  is  susceptible  of  being  made  waterproof 
\iith  comparatively  little  treatment.  Its  fine,  close,  smooth  surface  renders 
it  a  particularly  useful  fabric  in  the  manufacture  of  shoe  tops  and  gaiters, 


m  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

and  for  these  purposes  there  is  no  type  of  cloth  manufactured  which  will 
give  the  same  service  for  the  price.  With  warp  yarns  made  from  long-staple 
wool  that  has  received  careful  treatment  in  all  the  processes  of  manufac- 
ture the  fabric  will  give  such  long  service  that  one  will  readily  understand 
the  derivation  of  one  of  its  common  names,  "everlasting." 

In  the  finer  grades  the  warps  are  made  from  2-48s  half-blood  stock, 
with  a  relatively  higher  texture,  and  the  filling  is  made  from  combed  Sea 
Island  cotton,  making  a  fabric  that  is  extremely  fine  with  a  soft,  firm  face 
and  wearing  qualities  that  are  hard  to  excel.  The  manufacture  of  these 
goods  is  not  attended  with  any  particular  difl^culty  and  should  show  good 
profits.  The  comparatively  high  texture  of  the  weft  has  a  tendency  to  re- 
duce the  production  to  a  certain  extent,  although  this  is  overcome  some- 
what by  the  fact  that  the  cotton  back-warp  improves  the  weaving  consider- 
ably.   To  secure  the  best  possible  results 

It  Would  Be  Well  To  Size  the  Warp, 
particularly  if  the  yarns  are  flyer-spun,  as  there  will  be  a  much  less  break- 
age of  the  warp  yarns  in  weaving,  a  material  aid  in  obtaining  production, 
and  also  will  save  a  considerable  amount  of  time  and  expense  in  the  subse- 
quent finishing  operations,  especially  in  the  sewing  and  mending  depart- 
ments. In  several  of  our  leading  department  stores  the  fancy  back  prunella 
is  offered  for  suiting  purposes,  and  is  said  to  be  meeting  with  no  little  suc- 
cess as  a  fabric  for  automobile  wear  in  the  chilly  days  of  early  fall,  before 
it  becomes  necessary  to  don  the  heavier  mackinaws  and  furs  that  have  be- 
come the  usual  garments  for  cold  weather  riding.  As  an  outer  coat  it  is 
warm,  not  bulky,  and  can  be  easily  tailored  into  a  variety  of  styles  not  pos- 
sible to  attain  with  fabrics  more  clumsy  in  construction.  The  fancy  back 
gives  the  tone  so  much  desired  in  garments  for  this  purpose  and  the  close 
face  does  not  hold  the  dust  which  so  readily  accumulates  in  the  rougher  fac- 
ed cloths.  The  process  of  manufacture  is  similar  to  that  employed  in  the 
production  of  clear-finished  men's  wear  fabrics.  The  greater  portion  of 
goods  of  this  type  are  manufactured  by  mills  having  the  necessary  machin- 
ery for 

Spinning  Their  Own  Worsted  Yarns, 

a  very  considerable  saving  in  the  cost  of  production.  The  majority  of  such 
mills  purchase  much  of  their  wool  directly  from  the  grower,  thereby  effect- 
ing a  saving  of  the  profit  usually  taken  by  the  dealer,  and  giving  them  a  de- 
cided advantage  over  the  mill  with  a  limited  capital,  which  must  of  neces- 
sity buy  in  smaller  quantities,  and,  in  many  cases,  at  a  considerably  higher 
price.  In  times  of  hard  competition  it  is  the  small  savings  of  this  sort  that 
make  up  the  greater  portion  of  the  limited  margin  of  profit  it  is  possible  to 
obtain.  The  mill  equipped  with  an  up-to-date  spinning  plant  in  connection 
with  its  weaving  machinery  is  in  much  better  position  to  fix  prices  than  its 
competitor  that  must  purchase  yarns  in  the  open  market,  paying  the  spin- 
ner a  profit  over  his  fixed  charges  and  operating  expense.  In  making  yarns 
for  this  class  of  fabrics  it  is  not  necessary  to  sort  the  wool  as  closely  as 
would  be  the  case  in  manufacturing  yarns  for  men's  wear,  in  fact,  in  some 
dress  goods  mills  the  graded  fleeces  are  made  into  but  three  sorts,  or  two 
sorts  and  the  skirts.  The  shrinkage  of  these  wools  is  light,  as  is  the  per 
cent  of  noil  made.  In  scouring,  it  is  essential  that  there  should  be  nothing 
but  pure  materials  and  soft  water  used.    The  use  of 

Soda  Soaps  Is  Not  Advisable, 
although  it  is  very  true  that  the  action  of  soda  compounds  is  not  nearly  as 
harmful  on  low-grade  wools  as  it  is  oh  the  flner  staples.  The  scouring 
liquor  should  be  prepared  by  flrst  boiling  the  detergents  to  be  used  in  a 
suitable  tank  that  they  may  be  dissolved  and  thoroughly  mixed.  This  makes 
a  stock  solution  from  which  the  scouring  liquor  may  be  made  up  with  ease 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


129 


and  accuracy.  A  very  satisfactory  formula  for  the  stock  tank  is  eight  ounces 
of  soap  and  four  ounces  of  alkali  per  gallon  of  water.  In  preparing  the 
scouring  liquor  in  the  wool-washing  machine  use  four  gallons  of  the  stock 
solution  to  each  hundred  gallons  of  water;  if  additional  alkali  is  indicated, 
it  should  first  be  dissolved  in  warm  water  then  added  to  the  bath.  The  sec- 
ond and  third  bowls  of  the  machine  should  have  less  of  the  stock  solution 
and  the  fourth  bowl  a  very  weak  bath. 

It  is  very  essential  that  the  detergents  used  contain  no  free  caustic  al- 
kali, as  this  has  a  very  injurious  effect  on  the  wool  fibre.  It  may  be  that 
exception  will  be  taken  to  the  use  of  a  soap  liquor  in  the  final  bowl  of  the 
scouring  machine,  but  many  years'  experience  has  amply  proven  that  wools 
for  worsted  combing  should  not  be  rinsed  in  clear  water,  as  is  the  custom 
with  clothing  wools.  The  light  amount  of  soap  carried  by  the  fibre  acts  as  a 
lubricant  in  the  subsequent  process  of  carding.  The  amount  of  noil  made  in 
combing  stock  of  this  grade  should  be  very  small,  not  over  ten  per  cent  at 
the  most,  and  the  entire  shrinkage  from  clean  wool  to  top  should  not  ex- 
ceed 121/^  per  cent.  In  the  further  processes  of  manufacture  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  use  good  judgment  as  to  draft,  and  care, must  be  taken  to  see  that 
the  top  rolls  are  in  good  condition.  A  great  many  of  the  imperfections  in 
worsted  yarns  are  due  to  defective  top  rolls,  a  slight  unevenness  here  allow- 
ing the  sliver  to  pass  through  without  being  acted  upon  in  the  proper  man- 
ner, causing  a  bunch  or  slug  that  must  be  removed  later  with  attendant  la- 
bor and  expense. 

In  no  part  of  the  process  of  manufacture  is  there  a  greater  exemplifica- 
tion of  the  truth  of  the  old  saw  that  *'an  ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than 
a  pound  of  cure."  The  rolls  on  every  machine  should  be  examined  at  least 
twice  daily,  those  that  are  imperfect  being  removed  and  replaced  with  new- 
ly-covered, smooth  rolls.  This  may  appear  to  be  a  small  item,  a  "mere 
trifle,"  but  it  is  strict  attention  to  these 

Trifles  that  Bring  the  Perfection 

which  should  be  the  aim  of  everyone  from  bobbin  boy  to  manager.  The 
spinning  and  twisting  of  the  warp  yarn  should  be  followed  by  a  rigid  in 
spection  of  the  finished  yarn  before  it  goes  to  the  spooler.  The  removal  of 
defects  here  may  mean  the  saving  of  allowances  on  the  finished  goods,  and 
is  effected  with  much  more  ease  while  the  yarn  is  free  than  when  woven 
tightly  into  cloth.  Especial  care  should  be  given  to  the  roving  frames,  re- 
ducers and  spinning  frames  used  in  the  production  of  the  filling  yarns,  as 
these  are  used  direct  from  the  spinner  bobbins,  allowing  no  opportunity  for 
inspection  or  removal  of  imperfections  before  they  are  in  the  woven  goods. 

The  dressing  is  done  on  a  dry  fram.e,  preferably,  as  the  time  gained  in 
this  way  is  a  considerable  item,  the  sizing  on  the  slasher  not  only  taking 
much  less  time  but  also  being  much  more  even,  giving  better  results  in  the 
weave  room  in  the  way  of  production  and  even  warps.  The  equipment  of  the 
looms  with  some  form  of 

Warp  Stop  Motion  Is  Strongly  to  be  Recommended, 
as  it  allows  the  weaver  to  devote  practically  his  whole  time  and  attention 
to  the  filling  and  guarding  against  detects  of  various  kinds.  It  may  be  said 
that  there  should  be  no  necessity  for  such  an  appliance,  but  it  is  a  device 
that  will  soon  repay  its  cost  in  increased  production  and  practical  elimina- 
tion of  long  threads  out,  which  are  a  source  of  no  little  expense  in  the  fin- 
ishing department.  The  burling  and  sewing  are  not  difficult,  but  should  be 
performed  with  care,  every  knot  raised  both  sides  of  the  goods,  threads  out 
sewed  in  and  slugs  reduced  or  replaced  with  perfect  yarn.  In  using  single 
filling  it  must  be  well  conditioned  before  attempting  to  use  it  in  the  shuttle 
or  there  will  be  a  great  deal  of  trouble  from  succeeding  picks  looping  round 
the  loose  thread  between  the  listing  and   the   shuttle  box,  drawing  the 


130 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


doubled  thread  into  the  shed,  a  very  common  form  of  imperfection.  The 
means  of  preventing  this  usually  in  vogue  are  either  steaming  the  yarn  to 
set  the  twist  or  a  hot-air  treatment  which  gives  approximately  the  same  re- 
sult.  The  use  of 

Heavier  Brushes  in  the  Shuttles 

is  not  to  be  recommended,  as  this  places  an  undue  amount  of  tension  on  the 
yarn  and  has  a  tendency  to  make  the  goods  have  a  "teethy"  appearance,  as 
well  as  being  a  prolific  source  of  broken  picks,  a  form  of  imperfection  which 
should  be  eliminated  if  possible.  In  scouring,  it  should  not  be  necessary  to 
use  a  strong  soap,  as  the  goods  contain  very  little  in  the  way  of  impurities 
aside  from  the  slight  amount  of  oil,  applied  in  the  yarn  making,  and  the 
size  used  in  the  dressing  room.  A  pure  palm  oil  soap  fortified  with  a  suf- 
ficient quantity  of  pure  alkali  to  saponify  the  oil  contents  should  give  very 
satisfactory  results.  The  use  of  a  strong  alkali  soap  is  not  only  unneces- 
sary but  absolutely  harmful  in  the  extreme.  In  fact,  the  use  of  harsh  al- 
kali in  any  process  of  woolen  or  wortsed  manufacturing  is  inexcusable  and 
should  not  be  allowed  under  any  circumstances.  Before  dyeing,  the  goods 
would  be  much  improved  by  a  run  through  the 

Continuous  Crabbing  Machine, 
a  process  which  will  put  the  goods  in  much  better  condition  for  subsequent 
operations  and  remove  the  danger  of  wrinkles  showing  in  the  finished 
goods.  If  the  treatment  of  the  pieces  in  the  wet  finishing  has  been  what 
it  should  be  in  every  particular,  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  the  dyeing  will 
be  attended  with  any  diflficulty.  The  most  prolific  source  of  shady  goods  is 
the  wet  finishing  department,  not  the  dyehouse,  as  so  many  of  our  superin- 
tendents and  managers  seem  to  think.  The  pieces  should  be  run  into  a  ket- 
tle large  enough  to  hold  them  without  undue  crowding  with  sufl^cient 
water  to  submerge  the  entire  quantity  of  goods,  aside  from  the  portion 
necessarily  lifted  from  the  bath  during  its  passage  over  the  reel.  If  care 
is  taken  to  have  the  piping  so  arranged  that  the  heating  of  the  bath  is  prac- 
tically alike  in  all  parts  of  the  tub  the  results  should  be  as  nearly  perfect 
as  it  is  possible  to  attain  in  this  world  of  imperfections. 

In  case  it  is  necessary  to  add  dyestuffs  to  procure  the  shade  desired,  the 
bath  should  be  allowed  to  cool  or  the  results  will  be  far  from  satisfactory. 
The  tales  of  shading  colors  that  may  be  safely  added  at  the  boil  should  not 
receive  too  implicit  confidence,  or  it  may  be  that  there  will  be  a  sudden 
change  of  dyers  as  a  result  of  such  faith.  Even  with  the  best  of  drugs  and 
the  greatest  care  there  are  poor  results  at  times,  and  no  chances  should  be 
taken  that  are  avoidable.  In  making  a  test  for  shade  it  is 

Advisable  to  Dry  the  Sample 

and  run  it  through  the  press  before  matching,  so  that  it  may  have  as  nearly 
as  possible  the  same  treatment  as  was  accorded  the  reference  sam- 
ple in  the  limited  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  dyer.  The  necessity  for  this 
is  readily  appreciated  by  anyone  who  is  familiar  wit^  the  change  in  ap- 
pearance of  many  colors  during  the  finishing  process.  SI  *jld  the  shade  prove 
satisfactory,  the  pieces  should  be  cooled  off,  thoroughly  rinsed,  extracted  and 
dried.  The  operation  of  drying  is  usually  accomplished  by  means  of  artificial 
heat  in  some  form  of  drying  machine,  one  of  the  most  approved  being  the 
horizontal  chain  dryer,  with  low  feed  and  attachments  that  enable  one  op- 
erative to  attend  to  the  feeding  of  the  cloth. 

The  selvages  of  the  goods  are  engaged  by  steel  or  brass  pins  set  at  in- 
tervals of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  the  links  of  endless  chains  which 
carry  the  goods  between  steam-heated  coils,  thus  hastening  the  drying,  while 
the  goods  are  tentered  by  the  chains  which  are  held  at  a  fixed  distance 
apart  by  means  of  suitable  guides  and  sprockets.  If  necessary  to  increase  the 
output  of  the  dryer,  it  is  advisable  to  add  a  section  rather  than  to  increase 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


131 


the  heat,  as  excessive  heat  has  an  injurious  effect  on  the  wool  fibre.  The  dry 
pieces  should  be  brushed,  sheared  both  sides,  brushed  a  second  time,  inspect- 
ed, any  damages  that  are  found  repaired,  sprayed,  and  are  then  ready  for 
the  press.  The  press  should  be  hot,  not  merely  warm,  and  not  speeded  too 
high.  The  finish  resulting  from  too  high  speed  of  the  press  is  very  eva- 
nescent, and  a  second  run  will  be  necessary  to  secure  permanent  results,  en- 
tailing a  waste  of  time  and  additional  labor.  Allow  the  pieces  to  cool  off  on 
the  rolls,  spray,  inspect  and  roll  up.  Goods  so  treated  will  have  a  finish  that 
will  remain  for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  and  will  not  water  spot. 


LAYOUT. 
10,528  ends;  reed  16 — 10  =  65.8" 

listing    =    67.3"   over  all. 
70  picks. 

Dressed : 
\  1 


+  IMj"  for 


10  X 


16X 


2/40  white  worsted. 

I  1    2/48  white  cotton. 

5  1    2/40  white  worsted. 

I  1    2/48  black  cotton. 


CALCULATIONS. 
5,264  ends  2/40  worsted  =  7.52  oz. 

+    5%   take-up   =  7.900  oz. 

5,264   ends  2/48   cotton  =   4.18  oz. 

+  5%  take-up   =  4.389  oz. 

70  X  67.3 

70  pks.  1/32  wstd.=                           =  4.260  oz. 


COST. 

7.9  oz.  worsted  +   5%  waste  =  8.29 

oz.   @   84c.  per  lb  =  $  .445 

4.889  oz.  cotton   -f   5%   waste   =  4.6 

oz.   @   40c.  per  lb  =  .115 

4.26  oz.  worsted  +  3%  waste  =  4.39 

oz.   @  78c.  per  lb  =  .214 

Cost  of  stock   

Manufacturing,    70   picks  .... 


Net   mill  cost 


$  .774 
.=  .375 
$1,149 


Loom  weight 


(.'{2X  560)^16 


16.549  oz. 


■□■□■□■□■■a  DQ 
■■■□□□a  .ananan 
a  .anaaaaanjaan 
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WORSTED  DIAGONALS 

Diagonals,  or  wide  wales  as  they  are  frequently  termed  in  the  trade, 
have  been  extremely  popular  with  the  cutting-up  trade  for  the  past  two 
seasons.  They  are  developed  both  in  piece-dyes  and  fancies  for  men's 
wear  and  dress  goods  in  a  great  variety  of  colors  and  weights.  Their  manu- 
facture requires  no  special  equipment  unless  it  is  desired  to  produce  styles 
which  need  more  harnesses  than  are  to  be  found  available  in  some  of  our 
mills.  Many  of  the  recent  additions  to  the  weaving  equipment  of  our  wor- 
sted mills  have  been 

Thirty- Harness 

looms,  and  with  this  type  of  machinery  the  designer  will  be  able  to  produce  an 
extremely  varied  line  of  diagonals.  The  fabrics  vary  in  texture  somewhat  from 
the  ordinary  fancy  worsted,  there  being  a  seeming  disproportion  between  the 
threads  of  warp  and  filling,  the  warp  having  a  relatively  low  number  of  ends 
with  a  higher  number  of  picks  for  the  same  weight.  The  expense  of  man- 
ufacturing t]iis  type  of  fabric  is  somewhat  higher  than  the  ordinary  twilled 
worsteds  for  two  reasons:  First,  the  cost  of  weaving  is  increased  on  account 
of  the  higher  filling  texture,  and  production  is  smaller,  which  naturally  in- 
creases the  overhead  charges  per  yard.  By  means  of  combination  twills  the 
designer  is  enabled  to  produce  diagonals  on  the  ordinary  harness  loom  that 
apparently  require  a  jacquard  loom  for  their  manufacture.  The  method  of 
procedure  for  manufacturing  this  class  of  diagonals  is  not  intricate,  and 
should  be  familiar  to  every  designer  on  worsteds  for  men's  wear  or  dress 
goods.  A  single  example  should  be  sufllcient  to  make  the  principle  so  clear 
that  there  will  be  no  difliculty  in  working  out  a  great  variety. 

For  use  in  our  illustration  we  have  selected  a  twill  complete  on  20-har- 


132 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ness  A  and  one  repeating  on  thirty-harness  B;  each  will  repeat  evenly  on 
sixty  bars.  In  making  the  combination  twills  we  use  the  first  warp  end  of 
A,  the  second  of  B,  third  A  and  fourth  B,  proceeding  in  this  manner  until 
we  have  used  every  alternate  end  in  each  chain.  By  cross  drafting  they 
are  reduced  to  a  working  basis  in  chain  C,  and  the  accompanying  drawing-in 
draft: 


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WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  133 


21 

20 

19  19 


17 


14 


15 


12 


13 


11 

10  10 


5 

3 

1 


A  serpentine  effect  in  diagonals  may  be  easily  obtained  by  drawing  part 
of  the  warp  threads  two  on  one  harness,  which  will  give  the  same  wavy  ap- 
pearance as  would  be  produced  by  the  use  of  a  combination  of  a  63-degree 
twill  with  one  of  45  degrees.  The  style  for  which  the  chain  is  here  given 
may  be  developed  in  piece-dyes  or  with  warp  and  filling  of  contrasting  skein - 
dyed  yarns  or  mixtures.  If  good  taste  is  used  in  the  selection  of  colors,  the 
result  will  be  a  very  pleasing  effect.  The  yarns  used  are  2-40s  half-blood 
in  two  shades  of  brown  mix,  the  warp  dressed  with  4,500  ends  of  the  darker 
mix,  the  lighter  shade  being  used  solid  for  the  filling,  74  picks  per  inch.  The 
ends  are  drawn  straight  on  28  harnesses. 


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D 


134 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Another  series  of  patterns  may  be  made  with  solid  warp  and  two  or 
three  colors  of  filling,  which  give  some  very  nice  suiting  styles,  full  par- 
ticulars for  such  an  arrangement  following.  With  a  little  ingenuity  the  de- 
signer will  be  able,  by  aid  of  these  suggestions,  to  develop  a  very  creditable 
line  of  styles.  The  layout  here  given  is  for  a  diagonal  drawn  straight  on  20 
harnesses: 


LAYOUT. 

4,600  ends  2/40  black;  reed  14 — 5   =  65.7" 

4-   1.3"  for  listing  =  67"  over  aU. 
88   picks  per  inch. 

Filling: 

1  maroon. 
8  brown. 
1  maroon. 
14  black. 

24  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
4,600  ends  2/40  =  6.57  oz.   +  10% 

take-up   =    7,22  oz. 

88X67 

88  picks    =    8.42  oz. 

40X  560-r-2H-16   

Loom  weight    15.64  oz. 

Plus  7%  waste   =    1.17  oz. 


16.81  oz. 


COST. 

16.81  oz.   (g)   $1  =  $1,050 

Manufacturing   =  .514 

Mill  cost    $1,564 


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CHINCHILLA 

The  chinchilla  is  a  fabric  especially  adapted  for  use  as  an  overcoating. 
It  is  made  in  a  variety  of  weights  and  colorings  with  solid  color  or  fancy 
backs.  The  present  season's  demand  for  the  heavier  weights  in  men's  over- 
coatings is  largely  for  goods  with  plain  backs,  while  for  ladies'  wear  the 
fabrics  are  somewhat  lighter  in  weight  with  plaid  backs  predominating.  The 
manufacture  of  these  cloths  is  a  very  large  factor  in  the  business  of  several 
of  our  mills,  and  by  their  policy  of  keeping  their  deliveries  up  to  a  high 
standard  of  excellence  have  succeeded  in  building  a  reputation  on  their  spe- 
cial cloth  which  is  an  extremely  valuable  asset. 

A  glance  over  the  offerings  for  the  present  fall  season  reveals  an  ap- 
parently endless  array  of  colors,  weights  and  prices.    Prom  the  very  bulky 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


135 


three-ply  cloths  in  expensive  fabrics  suitable  for  the  severest  winter  weather, 
the  weights  and  prices  range  down  the  line  to  a  comparatively  light-weight 
single  cloth  in  three-quarter  width,  made  by  a  concern  whose  output  but  a 
short  time  since  was  the  humble  but  very  uselul  satinet.  The  fact  that  the 
majority  of  chinchillas  are  made  in  weights  of  from  twenty-four  to  thirty- 
six  ounces  gives  the  skilled  manipulator  of  stocks  an  almost  unlimited  op- 
portunity to  use  his  knowledge.  Many  of  the  fabrics  are  made  with  wool 
for  face  and  back,  with  a  considerable  part  of  the  weight  added  to  the  goods 
by  means  of  a  third  cloth  between  these  two  that  does  not  show  in  the 
slightest  degree  on  either  side.  It  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  and  satis- 
factory cloths  that  has  yet  been  produced  for  overcoating  and  cloaking  pur- 
poses. While  not  extremely  difficult  to  make  by  those  accustomed  to  its 
fabrication  and  finishing,  there  are  many  manufacturers  who  have  failed  in 
the  attempt  to  produce  a  satisfactory  cloth. 

There  are  few  fabrics  which  change  their  appearance  during  the  fin- 
ishing as  much  as  does  the  chinchilla.  As  it  comes  from  the  loom  it  is  a 
coarse,  thready  cloth,  with  a  face  that  is  flat  and  somewhat  loosely  woven. 
With  the  proper  machinery,  under  the  direction  of  a  skilled  finisher,  a  trans- 
formation takes  place  that  is  but  little  short  of  marvelous.   The  only 

Special  Machinery 

required  for  the  manufacture  of  these  cloths  is  in  the  finishing  room,  the 
one  machine  without  which  the  making  of  chinchillas  is  impracticable,  if 
not  an  utter  impossibility.  It  can  also  be  used  for  the  production  of  other 
types  of  finish,  the  stock  used  varying  with  the  price  of  the  goods  and  also 
to  a  certain  degree  with  the  finish  wanted,  that  is,  the  size  of  the  "nub"  or 
spiral.  The  face  must  have  sufficient  staple  to  form  a  thick,  long  nap  in 
the  gigging  operation  without  loosening  the  fibre  from  the  goods.  The  stuf- 
fing and  back  may  be  of  relatively  cheaper  material,  except  in  the  case  of 
plaid  backs  of  fine  texture,  which  will  require  comparatively  fine  spun 
yarns  and  stocks  suitable  for  their  manufacture. 

The  sample  selected  for  analysis  is  a  solid  mixture,  back  and  face  the 
same  color  and  stock,  the  shade  being  obtained  with  10  per  cent  white  and  90 
per  cent  black.  To  get  an  even  distribution  of  so  small  a  percentage  of 
white  in  the  mixture  will  require  more  than  ordinary  care  in  the  picking. 
The  best  method  to  pursue  in  making  mixtures  of  this  kind  is  to  first  mix 
the  white  with  an  equal  amount  of  black,  running  it  twice  through  the  pick- 
er, then  proceed  in  the  usual  manner,  using  four  times  the  quantity  of  black 
for  the  alternate  layers  with  one  part  of  the  black  and  white  mixture. 
Loods  0.  this  character  need  comparatively  little 

Burling  and  IVIending, 
the  heavy  nap  required  for  the  nub  effect  in  finishing  obscuring  the  weave 
entirely,  and  threads  out  or  broken  picks  will  not  be  noticed  in  the  finished 
cloth.  The  fulling  will  not  be  a  lengthy  operation,  as  the  goods  are  loosely 
woven  and  will  felt  easily,  but  a  good  soap  must  be  used,  one  that  will  re- 
tain its  life  during  the  fulling  and  will  scour  out  readily.  After  washing,  the 
pieces  should  be  well  extracted  and  taken  to  the  gig  or  wire  napper.  The 
napping  operation  is  carried  on  while  the  goods  are  damp,  because  the  wool 
when  moist  is  more  soft  and  fiexible.  In  this  condition  it  is  possible  to 
raise  the  nap  with  less  waste  of  stock  than  can  be  done  in  dry  nappin'g. 
When  the  nap  is  sufficient  for  the  desired  finish,  the  goods  are  dried  in  the 
usual  manner  and  taken  to  the  curling  machine.  This  is  the  principal  fea- 
ture in  the  finishing  of  chinchillas. 

The  essential  parts  of  the  machine  are  two  beds,  between  which  the  cloth 
is  drawn.  The  lower  bed  is  usually  covered  with  Brussels  carpet,  the  lower 
face  of  the  upper  bed,  the  rubbing  surface,  being  covered  with  rubber.  By 
means  of  eccentrics  on  the  verticle  shaft   a  rotary  motion   is  imparted 


136 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


to  the  upper  bed  which  curls  the  nap  into  spirals  or  nu'^s.  The 
size  of  the  spirals  may  be  changed  to  a  certain  extent  by  increasing  or  de- 
creasing the  throw  of  the  eccentrics.  The  goods  require  no  shearing  or 
pressing  in  the  majority  of  cases,  although  occasionally  the  pieces  are  crop- 
ped to  regulate  the  length  of  the  spiral.  In  the  sample  here  described  the 
face  and  back  warps  have  the  same  number  of  threads  in  each  and  they  are 
of  the  same  size.  In  plaid-back  goods  it  will  oltentimes  be  found  that  the  back 
cloth  has  a  texture  double  that  of  the  face  in  order  to  secure  a  fine,  neat 
looking  cloth  which  will  take  the  place  of  a  lining  in  the  garment.  Usually 
the  face  and  back  are  united  in  such  a  manner  as  to  allow  the  two  cloths 
to  be  separated  without  much  trouble,  so  that  for  trimming  lapels,  cuffs, 
etc.,  the  cloth  can  be  reversed  and  the  face  cut  away,  making  a  less  bulky 
and  very  neat  finish.  This  is  ordinarily  accomplished  by  the  use  of  an  entirely 
distinct  system  of  warp  ends,  usually  termed  the  stitching  warp,  and  is  gen- 
erally of  worsted  for  the  better  grades  of  goods. 


LAYOUT. 

3,600  ends;  reed  12V^ — 4  =  72"  +  l^^t"  for 

listing   =    731/2"  over  all. 
36  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,600  ends  2^4  run  =  16  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =  17.60  oz. 

36  X  73.5 

36  picks  214  run  =    =  11.48  oz. 


COST. 


60%  wool  @  40c.  .  . 
40%  shoddy  @  16c. 


.=  24.0c. 
.=  6.4c. 


30.4  c. 


Cost  of  stock  per  pound  

29.08  oz.  +  20%  waste  =  36.3  oz. 

30.4c.  per  lb  =  $  .6897 

.6897  +  5%  shrinkage  in  finishing  =  $  .7240 
Manufacturing,   36  picks  +   5%...=  .3680 


225 


Loom  weight 
Finished  weight  23-24  oz. 
Finished   width  56". 


29.08  oz. 


Net  cost 


$1.0920 


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One  of  the  most  popular  of  this  type  of  fabrics  is  the 

Cut  Chinchilla, 

now  showing  in  a  range  of  bright  colors  suitable  for  sport  coats  as  well  as 
in  a  line  of  mixtures  and  solid  shades  for  men's  wear.  The  *'cut"  or  striped 
effect  is  produced  by  dressing  in  the  warp  at  regular  intervals  threads  of 
cotton  or  other  hard-twisted  yarns,  which  are  so  interlaced  with  the  filling 
as  to  bind  it  closely  to  the  face  of  the  fabric  and  prevent  the  formation  of 
the  floats  necessary  to  produce  the  long  nap  formed  into  nubs  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  chinchilla  machine.  The  larger  part  of  these  cloths  are  of  double 
cloth  construction  with  fancy  backs,  making  a  pleasing  contrast  to  the  rela- 
tively plain  face.  From  the  layout  and  drafts  given  as  examples  of  the 
plain-faced  chinchilla  the  designer  will  have  no  diflSculty  in  laying  out  any 
number  of  styles  in  plaid  or  plain-backed  goods.  It  is  very  essential  that 
the  fundamental  idea  be  kept  in  mind,  that  is,  stock  long  enough  to  form  a 
long,  full  nap  interlaced  in  such  a  manner  that  the  napping  machine  can 
tease  out  the  fibre  without  injuring  the  structure  of  the  fabric. 


AlL-WOfll  TJIEfS 

During  the  period  of  its  popularity  the  thibet  was  a  much  abused  cloth. 
It  was  made  in  almost  all  conceivable  qualities,  and  many  of  the  fabrics  were 
more  like  cheviots  than  thibets,  owing  to  the  fact  that  many  manufacturers 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


137 


were  tempted  to  make  a  thibet  cloth,  and  as  they  were  not  experienced  in 
such  materials  they  used  too  coarse  wools  and  shoddies,  the  consequence 
being  that  their  cloths  were  not  felted  and  gave  a  raw  and  thready  appear- 
ance— a  "raw  cloth"  with  a  finish  even  more  "raw,"  and  any  garment  made 
up  from  such  a  fabric  could  not  be  kept  clean.  It  seemed  as  though  it  had 
a  strong  affinity  for  all  the  dust  and  lint  in  its  vicinity,  which  stuck  to  it 
like  a  burr,  and  resisted  all  efforts  to  brush  it  off,  for  which  reason  it  soon 
lost  its  popularity,  as  hardly  anyone  would  buy  a  second  suit  of  thibet  cloth. 

A  properly-constructed  thibet,  having  the  right  quality  of  stock  and  fin- 
ished correctly,  will  not  show  the  above  defects,  but  can  be  kept  as  free 
from  dust  and  lint  as  a  fine  undressed  worsted.  The  writer  has  seen  criti- 
cal buyers  testing  thibet  cloths  by  crushing  a  quarter  of  a  yard  in  their 
hands  and  then  throwing  it  on  the  floor,  giving  it  all  possible  opportunity 
to  get  covered  with  dust  and  lint,  then  shaking  the  sample  to  see  how  much 
of  the  dirt  still  remained  sticking  to  it.  The  fabric  which  emerged  in  the 
cleanest  state  after  such  treatment  was  usually  adopted  as  a  standard  of 
finish. 

In  the  quality  of  stock  used  and  in  the  manufacturing  processes  it  is 
very  similar  to  a  melton  cloth  in  that  it  requires  a  good  felting  wool  that  will 
felt  down  into  ihe  bottom  of  the  cloth  and  make  a  smooth,  soft  face.  Let 
the  wool  or  the  shoddy  get  the  least  trifle  coarse  and  it  will  "hair  up"  on 
the  face  instead  of  felting  down,  and  the  result  is  more  like  a  cheviot  or  a 
mongrel  cloth,  and  it  was  these  mongrel  cloths  that  spoiled  the  trade  in 
thibets.  A  thibet  cloth  requires  considerable  fulling  both  in  length  and 
width,  but  care  should  be  taken  that  it  does  not  become  too  solid  and  boardy, 
as  the  finished  cloth  should  handle  "clothy"  but  without  any  "bone"  to  it. 

It  should  also  show  an  indistinct  twill  effect,  or,  as  it  is  called  in  Eng- 
land, a 

"Blind  Twill," 

meaning  indistinct  like  an  undressed  worsted.  In  this  it  is  dissimilar  to  the 
melton  cloth,  which  should  not  show  any  twill  or  weave  effect.  Hence  the 
weaves  used  in  meltons  are  those  which  produce  a  smooth,  plain  face,  while 
the  ones  usually  selected  for  a  thibet  are  those  which  show  an  indistinct 
twill,  as  previously  noted.  It  is  true  that  some  light-weight  thibets  are  made 
in  a  plain  weave,  but  they  are  made  so  with  a  view  of  cheapness,  as  larger 
yarns  can  be  used  and  consequently  more  shoddy  and  fewer  picks  per  inch, 
thus  yielding  a  larger  production  with  decreased  overhead  expenses. 

All-wool  goods  of  this  fabric,  that  is  commercially  all  wool,  require  to 
be  laid  wide  in  the  loom,  usually  for  shoddy  mixtures  80  to  84  inches  wide 
in  the  reed,  while  the  cotton  carded  mixtures  are  laid  narrower,  according 
to  the  proportion  of  cotton  in  the  mixture.  It  requires  considerable  experi- 
ence in  fulling  to  know  just  how  wide  to  lay  such  goods,  as  everyone  knows 
that  there  are  no  fulling  properties  in  cotton,  and  if  laid  too  wide  and  the 
finisher  attempts  to  force  the  fulling  in  order  to  get  the  pieces  up  to  the 
required  width  the  result  may  be  disappointing,  as  the  fabric  will  handle 
stiff  and  boardy.  The  width  for  setting  cotton  mixtures  in  the  reed  is  large- 
ly a  matter  of  experiment,  as  it  is  hardly  possible  to  determine  beforehand 
the  fulling  properties  of  the  shoddies,  and  then  again  the  amount  of  twist 
in  the  yarns  is  a  great  factor  in  fulling. 

In  former  articles  on  similar  heavy  fulled  cloths  we  have  mentioned  that 
it  is  necessary  to  use  a  good  heavy-bodied  soap  in  the  fulling,  having  sufla- 
cient  free  alkali  to  overcome  any  acid  that  may  be  left  in  the  shoddy  stock 
through  lack  of  proper  care  in  neutralizing.  The  soap  must  also  be  strong 
enough  to  saponify  the  oils  used  in  oiling  the  stock  at  the  picker  room,  for 
unless  there  is  a  thorough  saponification  of  all  grease  or  oil  in  the  goods 


138 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


there  cannot  be  proper  fulling  and  felting  of  the  cloth.  In  addition  to  all  the 
above,  it  is  desirable  to  avoid  any 

Extreme  Heat 

during  the  fulling  process,  because  if  the  goods  become  too  warm  they  will 
shrink  quickly  without  getting  the  necessary  felting.  A  temperature  that 
is  just  warm  to  the  hand  is  about  right,  and  the  moisture — soap  solution — 
should  be  so  that  when  you  take  a  part  of  the  cloth  and  wring  it  hard  in 
your  hands  the  soap  solution  will  show  up  on  the  surface  of  the  cloth. 

When  the  fulling  is  completed,  time  should  be  given  for  a  gradual  cool- 
ing of  the  fabric,  and  in  as  open  a  state  as  possible,  because  if  allowed  to 
lie  in  a  heaped  condition  between  the  fulling  and  the  scouring  there  is  dan- 
ger, especially  in  warm  weather,  of  a  slight  degree  of  formulation,  which 
should  be  avoided.  Warm  water  should  always  be  used  at  first  when  wash- 
ing off  the  fulling  soap  and  dirt,  which  is  now  in  a  loose  condition,  and  a 
good  rinsing  with  warm  water  will  free  the  goods  very  quickly.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  give  them  another  soaping,  and  if  clean  the  suds  will  show  up 
white  and  the  soap  foam  will  almost  fill  up  the  washer  bowl.  After  this  sec- 
ond soap  bath  is  rinsed  off  it  is  a  good  plan  to  use  a  few  pails  of  a  solution 
of  monohydrate  soda  standing  2i/^  per  cent  Twaddell,  or  carbonated  am- 
monia solution. 

Some  finishers  prefer  to  use  a  few  quarts  of  aqua  ammonia,  as  it  is 
easier  to  handle.  One  alkali  is  as  good  as  another,  and  a  finisher  can  use 
whichever  he  finds  the  most  convenient.  The  object  in  using  this  alkali 
solution  is  to  raise  and  emulsify  any  residue  of  soap  not  washed  out  in  the 
previous  rinsing,  and  insure  the  goods  being  thoroughly  clean.  Wash  off 
this  alkali  with  warm  water,  and  use  cold  water  for  the  final  rinsing,  which 
will  set  or  solidify  the  cloth. 

Carbonizing. 

This  process  is  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  all  vegetable  or  other  for- 
eign matter  in  the  goods,  which  if  left  in  the  cloth  would  show  up  as 
"specks"  and  necessitate  the  tedious  process  of  specking  by  hand,  that  is, 
picking  out  every  little  speck  of  lorei^n  natter  hv  he  iis^  't  in  in^  ^  s 
which  are  made  like  sharp-pointed  tweezers.  This  is  a  slow  and  expensive 
process,  but  by  the  use  of  chemicals  in  the  soaking  tank  and  the  necessary 
heat  in  the  carbonizing  machine  all  vegetable  and  foreign  matter  is  com- 
pletely destroyed.  The  soaking  tank  should  be  lined  with  lead,  the  hydro- 
extractor  basket  made  of  copper,  and  all  metal  parts  both  inside  and  out- 
side of  the  extractor  sheet  should  be  coated  with  paraffine  or  shellac,  other- 
wise the  carbonizing  acid  would  soon  destroy  the  iron. 

The  operative  should  be  supplied  with  rubber  gloves  and  apron,  as  the 
acid  eats  its  way  into  almost  everything  with  which  it  comes  in  contact, 
and  should  be  handled  with  care.  The  acid  or  wet  process  is  usually  used 
in  carbonizing  piece  goods.  A  bath  is  made  up  in  the  soaking  tank  with 
water  and  sulphuric  acid  to  test  about  iV2  degrees  B.,  and  the  goods  are 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  tank  until  thoroughly  saturated.  They  are  then 
put  through  squeeze  rolls,  the  liquor  running  back  into  the  tank,  then  ex- 
tracted and  run  through  the  baking  or  carbonizing  machine  at  200  degrees 
Fahrenheit,  which  effectually  destroys  all  burrs  and  foreign  matter.  Many 
mills  do  not  have  a  baking  machine,  but  hang  the  goods  up  in  a  baking 
room,  which  is  heated  to  the  necessary  temperature.  After  baking,  the  goods 
should  be  run  in  a  dry  fulling  mill,  which  will  break  and  pulverize  all  the 
vegetable  matter  into  a  fine  dust. 

Dyeing. 

After  dyeing  to  shade  and  given  a  good  rinsing  the  goods  should  be  run 
in  a  solution  of  Fuller's  earth.  This  is  a  peculiar  kind  of  clay  which  has 
been  used  for  many  years  in  the  finishing  of  fine  woolens  and  worsteds.  It 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


139 


has  great  cleansing  properties  and  has  a  softening  action  on  woolen  goods. 
It  is  used  in  nearly  all  fine  piece  goods  mills  to  remove  all  traces  of  loose 
dyestulis,  and  prevents  "cr  CKins^  or  s  uttia^/'  w  -ich  is  freo  e  i  Iv  found 
in  the  cheaper  grades  of  piece-dyed  fabrics.  It  is  cheaper  to  use  and  much 
superior  to  soap,  as  it  will  not  mat  or  felt  the  fine  nap  the  way  that  soap 
is  very  apt  to  do. 

There  are  many  finishers  to-day  who  have  never  used  this  earth,  and 
therefore  know  nothing  of  its  softening  and  cleansing  properties,  but  it  is 
much  appreciated  by  all  who  have  ever  used  it,  especially  the  refined  ar- 
ticle, which  is  much  preferable  to  the  crude  earth.  No  one  should  attempt 
to  use  more  of  the  earth  than  the  water  will  hold  in  suspension  without  fre- 
quent stirring.  A  good  proportion  to  use  is  two  pailfuls  of  the  refined  earth 
to  a  barrelful  of  water,  and  allow  six  pails  of  this  solution  to  four  pieces  of 
goods,  run  from  20  to  30  minutes  and  then  rinse  off  in  cold  water. 

After  being  extracted  the  pieces  should  be  rolled  up  on  a  roll  under 
heavy  pressure  and  allowed  to  stand  for  at  least  24  hours.  This  "feeds" 
the  cloth,  giving  it  a  more  mellow  handle.  Regarding 

Moisture  in  the  Wool, 
whether  after  scouring  in  the  raw  state  or  after  being  made  up  into  cloth,  is 
a  process  that  is  not  given  sufficient  attention  in  the  average  mill,  but  every- 
one who  has  given  any  consideration  to  the  subject  knows  that  wool  after 
being  subjected  to  the  action  of  alkalies  and  the  heat  in  drying  should  be 
stored  in  a  moist,  cool  room  for  a  few  days  to  allow  it  to  regain  its  normal 
condition  before  being  put  through  the  picker.  Such  wool  will  card  better 
and  spin  to  finer  counts  with  less  manufacturing  waste  than  similar  wools 
not  so  conditioned.  Most  mill  agents  and  treasurers  are  so  anxious  to  get 
the  goods  finished  up  and  into  the  market  that  they  will  not  listen  to  any 
suggestions  of  letting  goods  lie  for  a  day  extra  on  the  rolls.   It  is  ''push  and 


Liayout   for   12-oz.   all-wool  thibet: 

2,560    ends;    10 1/2 — 3    reed    =    811/2"  inside 
listing  +  11/2"  for  listing  =  83"  over  all. 
Warp  yarn  4%  run,  left  twist. 
Filling-  yarn  5  run,  right  twist. 
Weave  3  harness,  twill  to  right. 
40  picks, 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,560   ends   4%   run   =   5.40   oz.  + 

8%   =    5.83  oz. 

83"    X    40   picks  5   run   ==    6.64  oz. 

+  8%   =    7.17  oz. 


Loom  weight    13.00  oz. 

Finished  weight  12  oz. 
Fulled  to  hold  S%  in  length. 
13   oz.    yarn    +    10%    manufacturing  waste 
=  14  V2   oz.  of  stock  at  picker. 

liV2  oz.  stock  @  50c.  per  lb  =  $  .4406 

Plus  8%  shrinkage  in  length  =  .0355 


Cost  of  stock    $  .4761 

Manufacturing   cost   and  charges: 

2-loom  work   =  .2600 

Plus   8%   =  .0208 


Mill  cost    $  .7569 


L-ayout  for  12-oz.  cotton  mixture  thibet: 

2,240   ends;   9—3    =  83". 

Listing  to  be  taken  out  of  warp. 

30  picks. 

Warp  yarn  SV2   run,  left  twist. 

Filling  yarn  3%  run,  right  twist,  spun  soft. 

Weave  3  harness,  twill  to  right. 

CALCULATIONS. 


2,240  ends  ZV2  run   =    6.40  oz. 

83"   X    30   X   3%   run  =    6.64  oz. 

13.04  oz. 

Plus  10%   =    1.30  oz. 

Loom  weight    14.34  oz. 


Finished  weight  12  oz. 

14.34  oz.    +   10%  waste  allowance  =  15.93 
oz.   of  stock  at  picker. 

Stock  mixture,   warp  and  filling: 


20%  carded  cotton  @  18c.  per  lb. .  =  $  .0360 

35%  fine  wool  @  50c.  per  lb  =  .1750 

15%  fine  mill  waste  @  12c.  per  lb..=  .0180 

30%  fine  thibets  @   18c.  per  lb...=  .0540 


Cost  per  pound    $  .2830 

16    oz.    of    stock    =    $.2830    +  10% 

shrinkage  in  length   =  $  .3057 

Manufacturing    cost:     2-loom  work 

=   $.229   +    8%  =  .2510 


Mill   cost    $  .5567 


push,"  quantity  first  and  quality  second,  and  as  long  as  the  goods  are  sold 
and  they  get  their  price  what  more  is  necessary? 


140 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Dry  at  a  moderate  heat,  as  too  high  a  temperature  in  drying  will  undo 
all  that  has  already  been  accomplished  to  soften  and  mellow  the  cloth,  es- 
pecially if  the  mill  is  compelled  to  use  hard  water  in  the  finishing  processes. 
After  drying,  steam  brush  well  to  raise  and  soften  the  nap  or  felt,  shear 
to  cut  off  all  long  fibres,  to  level  the  nap  and  close  enough  so  that  the  nap 
will  not  rough  up.  Steam  brush  again  and  dampen  with  a  dewing  machine. 
Press  at  a  good  pressure,  giving  it  a  little  steam  to  soften  the  face  before 
rolling  up  on  the  press  rolls. 

In  the  finishing  of  cotton  mixed  thibets  it  is  advisable  to  give  a  steam 
finish  to  the  goods  previous  to  dyeing,  or  it  can  be  done  after  dyeing,  which- 
ever is  the  most  convenient.  The  steam  finish  will  give  an  added  luster  to 
the  goods  and  overcome  any  tendency  of  the  cotton  mix  to  show  dead  or 
lack  luster  so  common  to  cotton  carded  goods.  This  steam  finish  is  given 
by  rolling  the  goods  onto  a  perforated  copper  cylinder  and  blowing  steam 
through  the  goods  for  15  minutes  while  the  cylinder  is  kept  revolving,  then 
forcing  cold  water  through  to  thoroughly  cool  off.  This  operation  is  repeat- 
ed on  a  second  cylinder  in  order  to  even  up  the  different  ends  of  the  cloth. 
This  steam  finish  is  described  more  fully  in  other  articles  on  broadcloths 
and  kerseys. 


EPONGE 

This  type  of  fabric  is  one  which  derives  its  novel  appearance  entirely 
from  the  yarns  of  which  it  is  constructed.  Were  it  made  from  plain  yarns, 
instead  of  being  a  high-priced  novelty  worthy  of  a  place  in  any  lady's  ward- 
robe, it  would  be  a  loose,  sleazy  cloth  with  an  appearance  more  nearly  like 
burlap  and  of  comparatively  no  value.  During  a  season  when  goods  of  this 
character  are  in  active  demand,  there  should  be  opportunities  for  mills 
equipped  with  the  necessary  twisting  machinery  for  production  of  such 
yarns  as  enter  into  these  fabrics,  to  earn  exceptionally  good  profits.  Aside 
from  the  yarn  manufacture,  the  production  of  these  novelties  shows  no 
difiiculties  whatever  that  are  not  present  in  as  great,  if  not  great-sr,  number 
in  manufacturing  the  more  staple  fabrics  which  show  a  great  deal  smaller 
profit  per  yard  or  per  loom.    In  order  to  make  the 

Greatest  Possible  Profit 

on  fabrics  of  this  nature,  the  manufacturer  should  have  a  plant  for  the 
spinning  of  his  own  yarns  from  the  grease  wools.  By  so  doing  he  is  able 
to  add  the  spinner's  profit  to  that  of  the  weaver  as  well  as  paying  a  reason- 
able interest  on  the  extra  capital  invested  in  the  spinning  mill.  In  addition 
to  this  feature,  the  fact  that  he  may  produce  yarns  of  various  kinds  for 
experimental  purposes  at  short  notice  is  a  very  decided  advantage.  The 
ability  to  produce  yarns  that  are  different  in  appearance  than  those  ordi- 
narily shown  by  dealers  is  also  an  item  in  his  favor,  and  at  times  he  may 
produce  a  distinct  novelty  which  will  prove  a  free  selling  fabric  at  a 
price  which  will  show  a  very  handsome  profit.  It  will  take  his  competitors 
some  time  to  follow  with  a  similar  cloth,  as  experiments  must  be  made  to 
duplicate  the  yarns,  which  spinners  are  not  at  all  times  ready  to  do,  and 
will  result  in  a  considerable  delay  under  any  conditions.  Meantime  the 
market  has  been  supplied  at  a  good  price  by  the  originator,  before  competi- 
tion by  copyists  has  reduced  the  price  to  a  point  where  there  is  very  little 
profit  to  be  obtained. 

In  order  to  be  in  the  first  rank,  it  is  necessary  that  the  designer  of 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  141 


the  fabric  and  the  maker  of  the  yarn  should  be  in  very  close  touch  with 
each  other.  In  this  way,  by  co-operation  and  experi  iient,  it  is 
possible  to  attain  results  that  will  give  an  individuality  to  the  line  of 
fabrics  and  secure  a  good  volume  of  orders  at  prices  that  will  be  extremely 
satisfactory.  The  manufacturer  who  is  content  to  follow  in  the  beaten  track 
and  produce  goods  which,  from  force  of  circumstances,  are  practically  du- 
plicates of  other  lines  will  never  be  eminently  successful. 

The  particular  feature  which  differentiates  the  sample  under  discussion 
from  the  ordinary  is  the  novelty  yarn  used  in  its  construction.  Instead  of 
the  usual  eponge  yarn  with  its  more  or  less  regular  loops,  this  fabric  is 
constructed  with  three  ends  of  ordinary  two-ply  yarn  and  one  end  of  a  knot 
or  slug  yarn  in  the  dressing  pattern,  with  all  ordinary  two-ply  yarns  in  the 
filling.  The  knot  yarn  is  taade  with  a  two-ply  core,  about  which  is  twisted 
a  relatively  coarse  roving,  which,  by  the  intermittent  motion  of  the  knot- 
ting device,  is  made  to  form  a  bunch  or  slug  at  intervals  of  about  two  and 
a  half  inches,  which  is  from  three-quarters  to  one  inch  in  length.  These 
appear  to  be  scattered  somewhat  irregularly  over  the  surface  of  the  cloth, 
and  from  their  fancied  resemblance  to  the  embryo  frog,  have  given  the 
name 

"Tadpole  Eponge" 

to  the  cloth.  The  eponge  with  which  we  are  more  familiar  differs  in  con- 
struction from  this  in  that  it  is  co  ^^posed  entirely  of  the  novelty  yarns 
made  on  a  looping  twister.  This  machine  has  a  second  set  of  rolls  which 
carry  the  thread  with  which  the  loop  is  formed.  This  set  of  rolls  is 
driven  by  a  separate  train  of  gears  and  is  capable  of  being  driven  at  a  speed 
greatly  in  excess  of  that  of  the  rolls  carrying  the  "core"  yarn,  or  base  upon 
which  the  loop  is  formed.  In  the  manufacture  of  certain  types  of  loop  or 
"picot"  yarns  it  is  necessary  that  the  loops  should  occur  at  regular  inter- 
vals, and  this  is  accomplished  by  a  rail  carrying  fingers  close  to  each  thread, 
which  receives  an  intermittent  reciprocating  motion  from  a  cam  driven  by 
a  belt  from  the  cylinder  shaft.    In  making  the 


Ordinary  Eponge  Yarns, 

regularity  of  the  loops  is  not  essential,  and  the  mechanism  last  described 
is  dispensed  with  by  most  makers  of  these  yarns.  In  order  to  prevent  dis- 
placement of  the  loop  by  the  friction  of  the  reed  in  weaving,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  twist  a  third  thread  about  it,  in  the  opposite  direction,  which 
acts  as  a  binder.  The  core  and  binder  are  in  many  cases  made  from  cotton, 
and  do  not  materially  affect  the  handle  or  appearance  of  the  cloth.  The 
dressing  frame  must  be  provided  with  coarse  reeds  or  many  broken  threads 
will  result  from  the  novelty  yarn  catching  in  the  reed  if  a  fine  one  is  used. 
In  weaving  it  will  also  be  found  advantageous  to  use  coarse  reed,  as  it  will 
aid  very  materially  in  increasing  the  production  per  loom  and  reduce  the 
mending  expense  in  the  finishing  room.  Goods  of  this  type  require  com- 
paratively little  finishing,  as  they  are  simply  cropped  on  the  shears.  The 
scouring  must  be  thoroughly  done,  or  it  may  result  in  shady  goods  from 
the  dyehouse. 


LAYOUT. 

896  ends  novelty  yarn;  reed  7 — 2  =  64"  + 

11^"  for  listing  =   651/2"  over  all. 
15  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
896  ends  (3.000  yds.  per  lb.)   =  4.78 

oz.  +  10%   =    5.71  oz. 

15XG5.5 

15  picks  =   =    5.24  oz. 


3,000^16 


Lo^m  weight   10.95  o^. 


COST. 

10.95  oz.   +   10%  waste  =   12.17  oz. 

(a>   ,$1.12  per  lb  =  $  .8519 

Manufacturing-,    15    picks   =  .1725 

Net  mill  cost   $1.0244 

Four    harness,    straight  draw. 
Plain  weave. 


142  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


UNFINISHED  PENCIL  STRIPES 

The  popular  preference  for  through  and  through  cloths  is  largely  due 
to  the  fact  that  when  fabrics  for  the  fall  season  were  much  heavier  than 
are  worn  at  present,  it  was  custom  ry  to  make  the  back  and  tace  of  wor- 
sted, with  a  stuffing  pick  of  less  valuable  material  for  the  extra  weight.  As 
buyers  became  more  versed  in  the  intricacies  of  cloth  construction,  the 
desire  for  fabrics  composed  entirely  of  the  more  expensive  materials  be- 
came more  prevalent,  with  the  consequent  result  that  they  demanded  a  cloth 
having  the  back  and  face  of  similar  construction,  or  as  they  are  commonly 
termed,  "through  and  through"  cloths.  The  impression  given  the  layman 
by  many  dealers  in  former  times  was  that  the  cloths  so  constructed  were 
of  foreign  manufacture,  and  therefore  superior  to  fabrics  turned  out  by 
any  domestic  mills.  The  injury  done  to  the  American  manufacturer  by 
such  shortsighted  policy  on  the  part  of  the  clothing  dealer  and  tailor  has 
been  incalculable,  and  it  has  taken  much  effort  and  many  years  to  correct 
the  false  impression  given  the  public  by  stories  of  this  kind,  circulated  by 
those  who  certainly  should  have  known  better.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  very 
large  percentage  of  the  "foreign"  goods  handled  by  merchant  tailors  and 
high-class  clothiers  is  the 

Product  of  Domestic  Looms, 

the  nearest  approach  to  a  sea  voyage  that  the  greater  portion  of  them  have 
ever  had  being  the  one-night  trip  on  the  Sound  steamer,  or  the  "voyage" 
across  the  North  river.  The  radical  decrease  of  weight  during  recent  years, 
in  both  spring  and  fall  fabrics,  has  resulted  in  many  of  the  cloths  being 
offered  in  single  cloth  construction.  To  the  lay  mind  this  term  may  have 
little  significance,  but  to  one  at  all  conversant  with  fabrics  and  their  man- 
ufacture, it  indicates  that  there  is  but  one  system  of  warp  and  filling,  the 
back  and  face  of  the  cloth  being  identical,  except  that  the  twill  on  the  back 
is  the  reverse  of  that  on  the  face  of  the  goods,  and  in  some  cases  the 
pattern  is  not  as  clear,  owing  to  various  causes  inherent  to  construction 
and  manufacturing  details. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  weight  desired  for  fall  fabrics  in  single  cloth, 
it  is  customary  to  use  much  heavier  yarns  than  would  be  necessary  were 
the  double  cloth  construction  used,  and,  as  a  result  of  so  doing,  the  texture 
of  the  cloth  is  materially  reduced  with  a  consequent  increase  in  the  size 
of  the  twill.  The 

Peculiar  Feature 

of  the  fabric  here  discussed  is  the  fact  that  while  it  has  all  the  earmarks 
of  a  single  cloth,  save  one,  it  is  made  with  two  systems  of  warp  with  a 
filling  common  to  both.  The  pattern  on  face  and  back  is  identical  with  the 
twill  on  one  side  the  reverse  of  the  other,  but  with  an  apparently  much 
higher  texture  than  would  be  expected  in  a  single  cloth. 

This  seeming  paradox  is  the  result  of  the  weave  used,  the  thre-e-harness 
face  and  back,  which  is  somewhat  unusual,  in  connection  with  the  com- 
paratively heavy  yarns  used  in  the  manufacture  of  this  particular  cloth. 
As  a  general  thing,  the  three-harness  weave  is  used  in  connection  with 
fine  yams  of  good  quality  and  in  fabrics  of  relatively  high  texture,  resulting 
in  a  cloth  with  an  extremely  fine  smooth  face,  and  usually  developed  in  a 
line  of  nice  colorings  in  neat  effects.  The  fabric  under  discussion  is  made 
from  rather  heavy  yarns  of  not  particularly  good  grade;  the  stock  used 
being  apparently  about  a  three-eighths  blood  from  some  of  the  bright  fleeces, 
probably  a  Missouri,  and  spun  to  2-24s  both  warn  and  filling.  In  this  par- 
ticular cloth  both  yarns  are  spun  on  the  Bradford  system.  As  the  fabric  is 
"unfinished,"  an  effect  which  possibly  would  be  superior  in  appearance, 
though  an  inferior  cloth  would  result,  might  be  obtained  by  the  use  of  a 
single    filling    spun    on    the    French    system.    By     so    doing    it  would 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  '  143 


be  possible  to  make  a  cloth  with  a  slightly  improved 
handle,  but  the  strength  would  not  be  equal  to  that  of  a  cloth  made  from 
two-ply  yarns  in  both  warp  and  filling.  In  many  mills  it  is  the  custom  to 
use  single  yarns  for  filling  in  a  large  proportion  of  their  product,  chiefly 
because  of  the  saving  in  spinning  expense  of  the  relatively  large  single  yarn, 
over  that  of  producing  two  threads  of  practically  half  the  weight,  which 
must  be  doubled  and  twisted  to  form  the  finished  thread.  This  method  is 
used  both  for  the  manufacture  of  light  and  heavy  weights  in  piece-dyed 
cloths,  but  is  not  as  commonly  employed  in  the  production  of  fancies,  as 
this  would  n-ecessitate  the  use  of  either  stock-dyed  or  slub-dyed  yarns,  a 
more  expensive  mode  of  operation  than  the  ordinary  skein  dyeing. 

One  of  the  principal  factors  in  deciding  the  type  of  fabrics  to  be  made 
at  any  time  is  the  class  of  styles  which  is  likely  to  prove  popular.  This 
will  be  readily  understood  by  those  at  all  conversant  with  manufacturing, 
as  it  is  manifestly  impossible  to  attain  the  desired  end  if  the  texture  of  the 
fabric  is  not  suitable  for  the  pattern  it  is  desired  to  produce.  It  is  essential 
that  the  styler  should  nave  a  certain  amount  of  knowledge  regarding  fab- 
rics if  his  work  is  to  be  of  the  highest  type,  though  it  is  not  necessary 
.that  he  should  be  a  designer  or 

Expert  on  Fabric  Construction. 

He  must  have  a  sufficient  idea  of  fabrics  and  styles,  however,  to  decide  as 
to  which  particular  fabric  is  best  adapted  to  show  up  any  of  the  styles  he 
wishes  to  have  made.  Unless  he  is  possessed  of  this  knowledge,  it  is 
necessary  for  him  to  rely  entirely  upon  the  ability  of  the  designer,  who 
oftentimes  is  not  in  sufficiently  close  touch  with  the  market  to  be  able  to 
form  an  accurate  idea  as  to  what  is  best  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  buyer. 
The  advantage  held  over  his  competitors  by  a  styler  who  has  had  some 
technical  training  is  much  more  apparent  in  a  season  when  business  is 
limited  in  volume,  for  in  such  a  season  he  is  able  to  develop  fabrics  which 
will  secure  a  fair  volume  of  orders,  while  his  business  rivals  are  forced  to 
rely  on  the  judgment  of  one  not  in  touch  with  conditions  and  therefore  not 
in  position  to  construct  cloths  which  will  appeal  to  the  buyer. 

The  Peculiar  Advantage 

of  using  the  construction  here  described  for  the  present  season  lies  in  the 
fact  that  by  so  doing  it  is  possible  to  produce  a  perfect  pencil  stripe  by 
using  a  single  light- colored  thread  in  the  warp  and  still  avoid  the  stitchy 
appearance  common  to  most  cloths  so  constructed.  The  warp  is  dressed  in 
such  a  manner  that  when  the  light  color  is  lowered,  a  similar  colored  pick 
of  filling  covers  it,  forming  a  continurus  line  of  color  without  a  breik.  In  a 
similar  manner  a  stripe  is  formed  on  the  back  of  the  fabric,  giving  it  the 
appearance  of  a  single  cloth,  of  a  relatively  higher  texture.  The  advantage 
of  using  the  three-harness  weave  instead  of  the  ordinary  four-harness  even 
twill  will  be  patent  to  anyone  familiar  with  cloth  construction.  It  gives  a 
much 

Finer  Appearing  Face 

without  increasing  the  number  of  picks  per  inch,  thereby  allowing  a  greater 
production  per  loom  than  would  be  possible  if  the  four-harness  twill  were 
used  with  the  same  number  of  twills  per  inch.  There  are  many  styles 
canable  of  development  in  this  weave  and  construction,  though  it  is  not 
particularly  well  adapted  for  making  checks.  There  is  a  wide  range  of 
styles  which  might  be  developed  to  advantage  in  this  cloth  and  which 
should  prove  to  be  good  dividend  producers. 

Contrary  to  the  usual  experience  with  three-harness  twills,  that  here 
described  should  show  a  very  satisfactory  production  from  the  loom,  with 
practically  no  increase  in  mending  expense  over  fabrics  made  in  the  com- 
mon twill  weave.    The  yarns  used  should  be  made  from  well-grown  wools 


144  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  good  luster  and  staple,  which  have  been  well  scoured  with  proper  de- 
tergents and  soft  water.  It  may  appear  to  some  readers  that  these  are 
unimportant  trifles,  but,  nevertheless,  it  is  attention  to  these  trifles  that 
ultimately  results  in  perfection.  It  may  seem  a  detail  not  worth  mentioning 
to  say  that  the  bath  used  in  scouring  the  wool  should  never  be  above  120 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  but  should  excessive  heat  be  used  in  this  process  it 
will  have  an  effect  on  the  fibre  which  no  amount  of  after-treatment  will 
rectify.  The  same  statement  may  truthfully  be  made  relative  to  the  purity 
of  the  materials  used  as  detergents  on  the  raw  stock  or  the  goods  in  the 
finishing  room.    It  is  too  often  the  case  that  processes  which 

Have  an  Important  Bearing 

on  finished  results  are  left  in  charge  of  unskilled  help,  who  have  no  idea 
of  the  harm  that  may  result  from  inattention  to  these  apparent  trifles,  with 
the  result  that  the  finished  product  is  inferior,  and  no  one  is  able  to  defi- 
nitely locate  the  process  that  is  primarily  at  fault.  In  many  cases  it  has 
been  traced  back  to  the  very  first  process  through  which  the  stock  passed 
on  its  way  to  be  manufactured  into  yarn.  The  physical  structure  of  the 
fibre  itself  may  be  so  injured  by  improper  treatment  as  to  render  it  in- 
capable of  being  spun  to  as  fine  counts  as  the  grade  and  length  of  staple 
would  ordinarily  warrant.  In  the  dressing  of  the  warp  it  will  be  unneces- 
sary to  use  size,  as  the  warp  yarns  are  of  such  size  and  strength  to  weave 
nicely  without  such  treatment.  If  there  are  piece- dyed  fabrics  to  be  made 
in  the  mill  it  would  be  perfectly  feasible  to  operate  on  the  two-lootn  sys- 
tem, giving  each  weaver  one  white  warp  and  one  fancy.  The  burlings  must 
be  carefully  attended  to,  all  knots  raised  and  left  for  the  shear  to  remove. 
Should  this  be  done  by  the  burlers,  the  knots  must  be  well  raised  and  the 
ends  left  long  enough  to  prevent  their  shrinking  back  in  scouring  sufficient 
to  make  the  defect  known  as  pinholes. 

Yarns  Well  Inspected. 

The  sewers  should  have  but  little  work  on  goods  of  this  class  if  the 
yarns  have  been  well  inspected  and  all  slugs  removed  before  they  were  put 
into  warps  or  wound  for  filling.  Goods  of  this  character  may  be  fulled  in 
the  grease,  as  they  contain  nothing  that  should  injure  the  appearance  of 
the  light  colors.  The  length  of  time  required  to  obtain  the  desired  amount 
of  nap  will  vary  somewhat  with  conditions  and  must,  in  a  large  measure,  be 
left  to  the  judgment  of  the  finisher.  Fulling  should  not  be  carried  on  long 
enough  to  burst  the  threads,  however,  as  it  will  materially  detract  from 
the  appearance  of  the  finished  fabric.  Probably  30  to  40  minutes  in  the 
fulling  mill  will  be  found  ample  for  the  fabric  under  discussion.  The  goods 
should  be  immediately  transferred  to  the  washer  where  every  particle  of  dirt 
and  soap  should  be  removed.  Inasmuch  as  worsted  goods  are  comparatively 
free  from  impurities,  they  should  not  require  the  use  of  additional  soap,  that 
used  in  fulling  retaining  sufficient  vitality  and  detergent  properties  to  thor- 
oughly cleanse  the  pieces.  Do  not  extract  the  pieces  too  thoroughly.  This 
is  a  precaution  that  may  meet  with  disapproval  in  some  quarters,  but  an 
experience  of  many  years  has  proven,  to  the  writer's  satisfaction  at  least, 
that  goods  too  well  extracted  do  not  handle  as  well  when  finished,  as  iden- 
tical cloths  which  contain  slightly  more  moisture  when  run  into  the  drying 
machine.    Here,  too,  we  may  differ  from  the  practice  of  some  finishers  in 

Advocating  Slow  Drying, 
with  a  relatively  low  temperature.  It  will  be  found  that  goods  treated  in 
this  manner  will  have  a  perceptibly  better  handle  than  would  be  the  case 
were  they  subjected  to  greater  heat  in  drying.  In  fact,  the  superior  quality 
of  goods  dried  in  the  open  air  is  not  nearly  as  much  due  to  that  fact,  of 
itself,  as  it  is  to  the  slow  drying  which  this  method  involves. 

When  dry,  the  goods  should  have  a  few  runs  on  the  brush  and  are  then 
ready  fot*  the  shear.    The  shearing  of  fabrics  such  as  here  described  con- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


145 


sists  simply  in  removing  the  long  fibres  and  evening  up  the  nap,  after  which 
the  goods  should  have  another  run  on  the  brush  before  pressing.  If  the 
finishing  room  equipment  is  complete,  it  should  include  a  dewing  machine, 
and  a  run  over  this  should  precede  pressing.  If  this  is  not  feasible,  a  light 
steaming  before  entering  the  press  is  advised.  After  pressing  and  a  final 
inspection  the  goods  are  ready  for  rolling  up  for  shipment. 


LAYOUT. 

3.024  ends;  11  reed,  4  per  dent  =  68.7 

for  listing  =  70.2"  over  all. 
48  picks. 

DRESSED. 

2/24  black    2  I 

2/24  50%  mixture   1  I 


FILLING. 

2/24  black   1 

2/24  mixture   


1  I 


COST. 

10.68  oz.  black  +  10%  waste  =  11.9 
oz.   dp  76c.  per  lb  = 

5.35  oz.  mixture  +  5%  waste  = 
5.63  oz.   @  84c.  per  lb  = 


Cost  of  stock   

Manufacturing,   48  picks 


Net  mill  cost 


.565 
.296 


$  .861 
.345 


$1,206 


CALCULATIONS. 
2,016  ends  2/24  black  =   4.8  oz.  -|- 

10%    take-up   = 

1,008   ends  2/24  mixture   =   2.4  oz. 

-f   10%  take-up   = 

32X70.2 

32  pks.  2/24  blk,  =   = 

24X560-4-2-^16 
16X70.2 


16  pks.  2/24  mix.  = 
Loom  weight 


24X560-f-2-i-16 


5.33  oz. 
2.67  oz. 
5.35  oz. 


=    2.68  oz. 
16.03  oz. 


■■■□□ran 
■«■□■□ 

■■■□^  □□■ 
■■■□□□an 


MONTAGNAC 

This  fabric  is  one  of  the  finest  and  softest  overcoatings  produced,  either 
in  foreign  or  domestic  cloths.  It  is  in  appearance  somewhat  similar  to  a 
fine  baby  lamb,  but  has  not  the  same  luster  nor  is  the  curl  quite  so  decided. 
It  is  prized  largely  because  of  the  unusual  softness  of  the  material  and  the 
great  warmth  without  excessive  weight.  That  it  is  not  more  commonly 
manufactured  is  due  to  the  fact  that  its  production  requires  special  ma- 
chinery in  the  finishing  department  and  unusual  skill  on  the  part  of  the 
finisher.  For  many  years  practically  every  piece  of  this  labric  was  im- 
ported, but  more  recently  domestic  mills  have  been  equipped  with  the 
necessary  machinery,  and  some  very  fine  goods  of  this  character  are  now 
produced  by  domestic  manufacturers. 

The  appearance  of  the  goods  is  greatly  altered  in  the  process  of  finish- 
ing, and  to  so  great  an  extent  is  this  true,  that  anyone  not  conversant  with 
the  methods  employed  would  not  think  it  possible  to  produce  the  finished 
article  from  the  loose,  sleazy,  uncouth-appearing  fabric  that  comes  from  the 
loom.  In  its  unfinished  state,  or  the  "flannel,"  as  it  is  technically  termed, 
the  goods  are  rough  and  unsightly,  with  the  face  threads  lying  loosely  on 
the  surface,  but  in  the  hands  of  a  skillful  finisher,  with  the  necessary 
equipment,  a  truly  wonderful  transformation  takes  place,  and  the  uncouth 
flannel  becomes  a  beautiful  cloth,  fit  for  clothing  the  finest  lady  in  the  land. 
By  means  of  soap,  water  and  heat  used  in  conjunction  with  the  proper 
machinery,  the  rough,  thready  face  is  entirely  hidden  under  a  thick,  curly 
nap  that  is  a  delight  to  both  touch  and  sight. 

Manufacturer  Receives  Small  Profit. 

The  retail  price  of  a  fairly  good  montagnac  is  from  six  to  seven  dollars 
a  yard,  which  seems  a  rather  high  price  for  a  fabric  weighing  only  26 
ounces,  composed  almost  entirely  of  wool.  Without  doubt,  it  does  show  an 


146 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


extremely  handsome  profit,  but  unfortunately  the  manufacturer  receives  a 
very  small  part  of  the  retail  price  as  his  profit.  It  is  true  in  the  merchan- 
dising of  woolens,  as  in  nearly  all  commodities,  that  the  high  prices  paid 
by  the  ultimate  consumer  have,  in  a  large  measure,  been  added  by  the  mid- 
dlemen, who  handle  the  goods  between  the  producer  and  he  who  finally 
puts  it  to  the  use  for  which  it  was  originally  intended.  In  the  majority  of 
cases  it  will  be  found  that  the  producer  of  the  article,  be  it  what  it  may, 
receives  as  his  profit  an  extremely  small  amount  compared  with  that  of 
the  intermediate  handlers.  How  to  eliminate  the  increased  cost  of  mer- 
chandise, due  to  thepe  extra  profits,  is  a  question  engaging  some  of  our 
brightest  minds  at  present. 

The  wools  used  in  the  manufacture  of  montagnacs  must  be  sorted  with 
more  than  ordinary  care,  as  only  the  finest,  softest  stock  obtainable  can 
be  used  for  the  production  of  fabrics  of  this  type.  After  sorting,  the  stock 
should  be  dusted  in  order  to  remove  as  much  as  possible  of  the  loose  dust 
and  foreign  matter  of  various  kinds  adhering  to  the  fibre,  leaving  less  to 
be  removed  in  the  scouring  bath,  a  material  saving  of  detergents  being 
effected  by  so  doing.   For  the  scouring  of  the  fine  wools  used,  a 

Four-Bowl  Parallel  Rake  Machine 

is  the  best  possible  type,  and  should  be  used  in  conjunction  with  the  very 
best  scouring  materials  to  be  obtained,  and  soft  water.  This  last  item  is 
absolutely  indispensable,  and  if  a  natural  supply  of  soft  water  is  not  to  be 
obtained,  the  supply  must  be  softened  by  mechanical  or  chemical 
means.  Wool,  in  its  natural  state,  as  probably  every  one  of  our  readers  is 
aware,  contains  a  varying  quantity  of  a  natural  greasy  matter,  in  addition 
to  the  various  impurities  which  mechanically  adhere  to  the  fleece.  This 
grease  or  **yolk"  must  be  removed  before  the  wool  can  be  put  into  the 
manufacturing  process.  This  is  usually  accomplished  by  scouring  with 
some  of  the  familiar  detergents,  such  as  soap  and  alkali.  The  necessity  for 
soft  water  in  this  process  is  readily  explained.  The  most  common  cause 
of  hardness  in  water  is  the  presence  of  iron  or  lime  salts.  When  such  water 
is  used  for  wool  scouring,  the  soap  is  disintegrated  and  the  fatty  portions 
unite  with  the  acids  held  by  the  lime  or  iron  compounds,  which  are  also 
decomposed,  forming  a  lime  soap.  While  ordinary  soaps  are  soluble  in 
water,  forming  an  emulsion,  the  lime  soaps  are  insoluble  and  are  deposited 
on  the  wool  in  the  scouring  liquor.  In  the  form  of  a  sticky  paste,  the  lime 
soap  completely  envelops  the  fibre  and  is 

Removed  with  Extreme  Difficulty. 

If  the  fibre  is  not  thoroughly  cleansed,  however,  the  dyeing  operation  is 
attended  with  great  difficulty,  and  it  will  be  well-nigh  impossible  to  get 
level  shades.  With  pure  soft  water  and  a  well-made  potash  soap,  built  up 
to  suflScient  strength  with  a  pure  mild  alkali,  a  four-bowl  washing  machine 
should  bring  the  wool  out  snowy  white.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  under 
no  circumstances  should  the  temperature  of  the  scouring  liquor  be  allowed 
to  rise  over  130  degrees  Fahrenheit.  Greater  heat  than  this  will  have  a 
decided  tendency  to  injure  the  working  qualities  of  the  wool. 

In  these  days  it  is  common  practice  to  hasten  the  drying  of  the  wool 
by  artificial  means,  but  for  this  type  of  fabric  the  aid  of  steam  should  not 
be  invoked  if  possible  to  avoid  it.  A  much  better  method  is  to  dry  by  the 
so-called  "cold  air"  system,  that  is  by  spreading  the  wool  on  a  suitable 
screen  and  forcing  air  through  it  at  the  ordinary  temperature.  Wool  dried 
in  this  manner  will  be  found  to  work  much  better  in  subsenuent  operations. 
If  the  goods  are  to  be  stock-dyed,  the  next  operation  is  the  dyeing.  For 
especially  fine  goods  it  is  the  usual  custom  to  color  the  blacks  with  an  in- 
digo bottom  which  gives  them  a  body  and  bloom  that  cannot  be  obtained  by 
any  other  method.  After  drying  from  the  dyehouse,  the  stock  is  ready  for 
the  mixing  picker.    That  the  fibres  may  be  more  easily  carded  and  spun 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


147 


it  is  necessary  that  a  lubricant  of  some  kind  be  applied  in  the  picker  room. 
This  is  usually  applied  in  the 

Form  of  an  Emulsion, 
made  by  mixing  some  suitable  oil  with  a  certain  proportion  of  water  and 
"cutting"  the  oil  by  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  alkali  such  as  borax, 
sal  soda  or  soda  ash.  In  working  fine  wools,  a  very  satisfactory  emulsion 
may  be  made  by  using  equal  parts  of  a  good,  repressed  red  oil  and  water, 
emulsified  with  sal  soda.  This  should  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  eight 
quarts  of  emulsion  to  100  pounds  of  stock,  an  equivalent  of  four  quarts  of 
oil  per  hundredweight  of  wool.  There  are  various  methods  in  use  for  apply- 
ing the  oil,  most  of  which  are  satisfactory  if  used  intelligently,  the  prime 
object  of  them  all  being  to  distribute  the  oil  as  evenly  as  possible  over  the 
entire  mass  of  wool.  Some  of  the  mechanical  devices  for  attachment  to  the 
picker  are  productive  of  very  good  resuUs,  and  probably  secure  a  more 
even  application  than  is  usually  obtained  by  the  old  system 
of  using  a  specially  prepared  sprinkler  similar  in  form  to  the 
ordinary  watering  can.  The  stock  should  be  put  through  the  picker  twice 
to  be  sure  that  it  is  weU  opened  a^d  ^rixed,  then  it  mav  be  conveyed  to  a 
suitable  bin  convenient  to  the  feed  box  of  the  first  breaker  card. 

The  cards  must  be  in  Al  condition,  the  wire  sharp  and  set  sufficiently 
close  to  thoroughly  comb  out  the  stock  without  injuring  the  staple.  The 
wire  should  be  fairly  fine,  not  coarser  than  30  on  the  first  and  second 
breaker,  with  32  on  the  finfsher.  With  fine  stock,  such  as  used  in  the  fabric 
under  discussion,  it  will  be  possible  to  take  off  a  rather  heavy  roving,  which 
will  give  a  relatively  larger  production  from  the  card  room  and  still  give 
excellent  results  in  the  mule  room,  and  make  a  strong,  even  elastic  thread. 
In  spooling,  there  is  a  distinct  advantage  in  using  the 

Compressing  Type  of  Spooler, 
as  much  more  yarn  can  be  placed  on  each  spool  with  a  correspondingly 
increased  production  in  the  dressing  room,  for  there  will  be  less  stoppage 
for  tying  in  spools.  The  paddle  weights  should  be  so  adjusted  on  the  dress- 
ing frame  that  every  section  will  receive  the  same  tension,  thus  eliminating 
the  danger  of  imperfections  known  as  ''section,  stripes"  in  the  finished  goods. 
The  warps  should  be  made  as  long  as  the  pins  on  the  reel  will  permit,  and 
in  beaming,  a  warp  compressor  should  be  used.  This  device  permits  of  put- 
ting a  much  greater  yardage  on  the  beam  with  no  undue  strain  on  the  yarn, 
makes  a  warp  that  is  solid  and  even  and  adds  to  the  ease  of  weaving  to  a 
very  appreciable  extent.  When  the  warps  are  drawn  in,  reeded  and  ready 
for  the  loom,  the  fixer  should  see  that  the  loom  is  in  the  best  possible  con- 
dition, go  over  the  various  parts  and  see  that  they  are  so  adjusted  as  to 
give  the  best  possible  results  on  the  class  of  work  to  be  woven.  It  is  much 
better  to  give  the  loom  the  necessary  attention  when  empty  than  to  delay 
the  weaver  and  possibly  make  some  cloth  that  is  imperfect  while  the  warp 
is  starting  up. 

The  burling  and  sewing  is  a  very  small  item  on  this  class  of  fabrics, 
as  there  is  no  danger  of  cutting  knot  holes  on  the  shear  from  the  fact  that 
the  goods  are  merely  cropped.  The  question  as  to  the 
Best  Time  for  Fulling  Montagnacs 
is  one  each  finisher  decides  for  himself,  some  preferring  to  scQur  in  the  grease, 
while  others  insist  that  better  results  are  obtained  by  first  scouring  the 
goods.  In  either  case  the  use  of  pure  soaps  and  alkali  must  be  insisted  on, 
as  harsh  alkalis  will  cause  absolute  failure  to  secure  the  desired  finish.  For 
fulling,  a  pure  neutral  palm  oil  soap  is  preferable  to  one  made  from  a  tallow 
base.  It  is  customary  with  some  finishers  to  interrunt  the  fulling  process 
and  give  these  cloths  some  work  on  the  napping  machine  before  the  fulling 
is  completed.  Prom  the  mills,  the  pieces  should  be  transferred  immediately 
to  the  washers  and  given  a  run  for  20  minutes  with  warm  water,  after  which 


148 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


they  should  be  well  rinsed.  Every  vestige  of  soap  must  be  removed  before 
they  are  taken  from  the  washer,  or  it  will  be  impossible  to  get  a  satisfactory 
finish.  When  satisfied  that  the  goods  are  clean,  extract  and  place  on  the 
napper.  When,  in  the  judgment  of  the  finisher,  they  are  sufficiently  napped, 
place  on  the  cropping  shear  and  even  up  ihe  fibres,  nap  again,  crop  and  dry. 

The  Dried  Pieces 

are  given  several  runs  on  a  brush  with  stiff  bristles  so  as  to  raise  the  nap 
thoroughly,  then  taken  to  the  whipping  machine  which  causes  the  nap  to 
stand  straight  up.  From  the  whipper  they  are  led  to  the  curling  dryer,  pass- 
ing before  a  perforated  pipe  which  thoroughly  wets  the  pile  without  per- 
ceptibly dampening  the  fabric  itself.  It  immediately  passes  into  the  drying 
chamber,  where  the  heat  causes  the  nap  to  curl  back  on  the  cloth.  On 
looking  into  the  dryer  the  surface  of  the  cloth  appears  to  be  covered  with 
a  mass  of  wriggling  worms,  caused  by  the  heat  acting  on  the  moist  nap. 
The  drier  must  be  of  suflacient  length  to  permit  of  thoroughly  drying  the 
goods  without  reversing  the  fabric,  that  is  to  say,  it  must  not  be  necessary 
for  the  face  of  the  goods  to  pass  over  a  roll  or  the  finish  will  be  spoiled. 
When  dry,  the  goods  require  no  shearing  or  pressing,  but  are  ready  for  in- 
spection and  rolling  up  for  market. 


LAYOUT. 

2.016  end.s;  reed  7—4  =   72"  +  2"  for  list- 
ing =   74"  over  all. 
50  picks — 1  face. 

1  back. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,016  ends  1%    run   =  11.52  oz.  -f 

3%   =  11.85  oz. 

74X25 

25  picks  1  %  run  =   =  10.57  oz. 

175 
74X25 

25  picks  =    =    6.72  oz. 

275   

Loom  weight    29.14  oz. 

COST. 

11.85  oz.   +  15%  shrinkage  =  13.94 

oz.    (a)   52c.   per  lb  =    $  .455 

10.57  oz.  4-   15%  shrinkage  =  12.43 

oz.  &  $1.75  per  lb  =  1.367 

6.72   oz.    +    15%    shrinkage    =  7.91 

oz.  @  40c.  per  lb  =  .198 

Stock  cost    $2,020 

Manufacturing,  50  picks   =  .600 

Net  mill  cost    $2,620 

W^'arp:  Fine  wool  (a)  52c. 


FACE  FILLING  MIXTURE. 

50%   fine  Australian   @   $1.02  =  $  ,51 

50%  cashmere  @   $2.50   =  1.25 

$1.76 

BACK    FILLING  MIXTURE. 

60%  fine  wool  @  52c  =  $  .312 

40%   fine  extract   @   22c  =  .088 


$  .400 


SILK  STRIPE  POPLIN 

Poplins  are  made  in  a  variety  of  constructions  and  weights,  from  silk, 
worsted  and  combinations  of  either  with  cotton.  The  fabric  selected  for 
analysis  is  made  from  worsted,  both  warp  and  filling,  with  a  decorative 
stripe  of  silk  twist  at  intervals  of  approximately  three-quarters  of  an  inch. 
The  present  season  has  seen  a  greater  revival  of  popularity  for  this  ex- 
tremely serviceable  cloth  than  has  been  apparent  for  some  time.  In  appear- 
ance it  very  much  resembles  the  piques  so  much  used  for  skirting  purposes 
during  the  summer  season.  Its  production  is  confined  to  a  great  extent  to 
the  large  corporations  who  make  a  specialty  of  dress  goods  and  have  had 
the  necessary  experience  to  enable  them  to  produce  such  cloths  ftt  a  price 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


149 


that  woula  mean  ruin  for  the  ordinary  mill.  By  making  fabrics  of  this  char- 
acter in  quantities, 

Spinning  Their  Own  Yarns, 

and  the  careful  elimination  of  every  expense  item  which  may  possibly  be 
cut  out,  they  are  able  to  manufacture  for  much  less  than  a  mill  not  specially 
equipped  for  turning  out  fabrics  of  this  kind.  The  yarns  used  are,  in  nearly 
every  instance,  made  from  the  foreign  crossbreds,  though  litaited  quantities 
of  domestic  wools  are  also  used  by  some  of  the  large  producers  of  domestic 
dress  goods.  That  intrinsic  worth  is  not  at  all  times  the  basis  on  which 
prices  are  figured  is  well  exemplified  by  two  samples  of  poplin  shown  the 
present  season  by  a  large  department  store.  One  of  them  is  a  40-inch  fab- 
ric, about  ounces  in  weight,  selling  at  $1.25  per  yard,  while  the  other  is 
a  12-ounce  cloth  with  worsted  warp,  and  a  coarse  cotton  filling  which  com- 
prises about  two-thirds  of  the  total  weight  and  sells  for  $2.50  per  yard.  That 
the  greater  portion  of  buyers  are  practically  ignorant  of  the  composition  of 
the  fabrics  offered  is  incontrovertible,  but  that  such  ignorance  is  so  preva- 
lent among  buyers  for  the  various  departments  in  our  large  mercantile  es- 
tablishments is  inexcusable  in  these  days,  when  a  knowledge  of  fibres  and 
cloth  composition  is  so  much  more  readily  obtained  than  has  been  the  case 
in  the  past. 

Expert  Technical  Training  Not  Necessary. 

It  is  not  at  all  necessary  that  the  salesmen  should  be  technically  trained 
experts,  but  it  would  not  appear  unreasonable  to  expect  that  they  should 
be  able  to  detect  the  difference  between  a  fabric  that  is  pure  wool  and  one 
that  contains  a  considerable  quantity  of  cotton  that  is  not  amalgamated 
with  wool  during  the  process  of  manufacturing.  In  the  all-worsted  fabric 
here  analyzed,  the  warp  and  filling  are  both  single  yarns  combed  from  wool 
of  medium  grade  and  fairly  good  staple  spun  on  the  French  system.  The 
warps  are  dry  dressed  and  then  sized  on  the  slasher,  which  insures  an 
equal  distribution  of  the  sizing  material,  as  well  as  giving  a  nice  straight 
warp,  which  usually  weaves  better  than  would  be  the  case  if  the  warps 
were  sized  on  the  dresser.  The  weaving  is  invariably  on  the  two-loom 
system  and  the  fabrics  piece-dyed.  The  introduction  of  the  silk  decoration 
will  in  no  wise  interfere  with  this  method  of  manufacture,  as  there  is  a 
variety  of  dyestuffs  on  the  market  which  will  produce  the  desired  shade 
on  the  wool  without 

Changing  the  Shade  of  the  Silk. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  rib  effect  peculiar  to  this  fabric  the  goods  are  fre- 
quently woven  two  picks  in  a  shade,  but  the  same  effect  may  be  produced 
by  the  use  of  a  filling  yarn  of  sufficient  size  to  obtain  the  desired  result 
with  one  pick.  If  this  method  is  used  it  will  effect  a  very  material  increase 
in  the  production  per  loom  and  also  result  in  a  very  appreciable  saving  in  the 
cost  of  the  yarn,  as  it  is  evident  to  the  layman  that  one  large  thread 
may  be  manufactured  at  a  much  less  cost  than  two  threads  of  approximately 
half  the  weight.  The  finishing  of  poplins  does  not  present  any  unusual 
or  peculiar  features.  The  goods  are  burled  and  mended,  then  placed  in  the 
washer  and  cleansed  with  any  good  soap.  The  precise  grade  is  a  matter 
to  be  decided  by  the  finisher  and  manager  of  the  plant.  In  some  of  our 
larger  mills  it  is  the  custom  to  manufacture  their  own  soap. 

The  saving  in  expense  thus  effected  is  possibly  not  so  much  a  feature 
as  the  fact  that  the  soap  so  made  is  at  all  times  of  the  same  grade  and  of 
absolute  purity,  which  is  not  true  in  all  instances  when  soaps  are  pur- 
chased in  the  open  market.  The 

Necessary  Facilities  for  Soap  Making 

are  not  expensive,  nor  is  the  manufacturing  a  particularly  difficult  opera- 
tion. A  very  satisfactory  soap  may  be  made  from  the  formula  here  given, 
and  niay  be  used  for  scouring  the  raw  stock  or  woven  fabrics.  Dissolve  200 


150 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


pounds  of  caustic  potash  in  50  gallons  of  water,  boiling  until  thoroughly 
dissolved  and  add  water  to  make  200  gallons,  making  a  solution  of  a  pound 
of  alkali  to  the  gallon.  At  a  temperature  of  65  degrees  Fahrenheit  the  dye 
should  test  close  to  140  degrees  Twaddell.  Run  the  lye  into  barrels  with 
a  gallon  of  red  oil  to  each  four  gallons  of  the  liquor,  agitating  occasionally 
until  the  ingredients  are  thoroughly  mixed,  forming  a  soft  soap.  This  may 
be  used  as  the  base  for  a  scouring  liquor  for  raw  stock  or  may  be  boiled  up 
with  the  addition  of  alkali  and  water  for  scouring  piece  goods.  When  the 
goods  are  free  from  impurities  and  the  soap  has  been  thoroughly  rinsed  out, 
they  should  be  transferred  to  the 

Continuous  Crabbing  iVIachine, 
which  will  give  them  a  "set"  and  put  them  in  excellent  condition  for  the 
dyehouse.  Better  results  will  be  obtained  if  the  pieces  are  allowed  to  re- 
main on  the  rolls  for  at  least  24  hours  before  sending  them  to  the  dye 
kettles.  The  rolls  should  be  stood  on  end  and  the  position  reversed  at  in- 
tervals of  six  to  eight  hours  to  prevent  the  moisture  settling  at  either  side 
of  the  piece,  as  this  would  be  apt  to  cause  trouble  in  dyeing.  The  great 
difficulty  encountered  in  piece-dyeing  is  shady  goods,  either  shaded  from 
side  to  center  or  end  to  end.  In  the  major  part  of  such  instances  the  trouble 
may  be  traced  to  improper  treatment  in  scouring  or  crabbing  rather  than 
in  the  dyeing  department  itself.  When  the  desired  shade  has  been  ob- 
tained, cool  off  with  cold  water,  running  into  the  kettle  with  the  draw-off 
plug  released  and  give  a  thorough  rinsing  berore  removing  from  the  kettle. 
Five  minutes  in  the  extractor  should  be  ample  to  prepare  the  pieces  for  the 
drying  machine.  In  drying,  the  heat  should  not  be  excessive,  for  the  handle 
of  the  goods  will  be  materially  improved  if  the  dryer  be  enlarged  rather 
than  to  force  the  operation  in  a  small  machine  by  increasing  the  temr)era- 
ture.  After  drying,  the  pieces  should  have  a  run  on  the  brush  before  shear- 
ing and  another  brushing  between  the  shear  and  the  dewing  machine.  The 
pressing  should  not  be  too  heavy,  and  after  a  final  inspection  the  goods  may 
be  measured  and  packaged  for  market. 

LAYOUT. 

3,600  ends;    reed   12 — 6    =   50"    4-    IV2"  for 

listing        51.5"  over  all. 
80  picks. 

DRESSING. 

1/32   white    36  30     I  66 

1/32  white  and  white  sin-  I 
glc  org.  silk    6  !  6 


72 
5 


360 
*10 

♦Sections.  3.600 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,600  ends  1/32  =  3.21  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =    3.5310  oz. 

300   ends   single   org.    =    .3202  oz. 

+    10%   take-up   =     .3522  oz. 

51.5X80 

80  picks  1/24  ^   .  4.9040  oz. 

560X  24-^-16  • 

Loom  weight    8.7872  oz. 


UNFINISHED  FANCY  WORSTED  WITH  SILK  DECORATION 

A  particularly  attractive  style  in  heavy-weight  men*s  wear  is  the  double 
and  twist  worsted  suiting  with  silk  decoration,  the  analysis  of  which  is 
here  given.    By  means  of  well-chosen  colors  for  the  twists,  it  is  possible 


COST. 

3.531  oz.   -1-  5%  waste  =  3.72  oz. 

84c.  per  lb  =  $  .1969 

.3522  oz.  +  5%  waste  =  .3707  oz.  (S) 

$8.50  per  lb  =  .1992 

4.904  oz.  -f  3%  waste  =  5.06  oz.  @ 

80c.  per  lb  =  .2530 

Cost  of  stock    $  .6491 

Manufacturing,   SO  picks   =  .4000 


Net  mill  cost    $1.0491 


Six    harness,    straight  draw. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  151 


to  develop  a  very  attractive  line  of  styles  that  should  meet  with  a  ready 
saie.  Ihe  tabiic  itseit  presents  nothing  paiticuiariy  n-ew  in  the  way  of 
constiuction  or  finish  and  owes  its  desnabiiity  in  a  large  measure  to  the 
nicely  biended  coiormgs  of  the  twists  used  in  the  warp  together  with  the 
additional  lite  and  chaiacter  given  by  a  judicious  use  of  spun  silk  twisted 
with  a  b.ack  worsted.  The  whole  effect  is  very  pleasing  and  gives  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  pin  check  picked  out  with  silk.  The  texture  of  the  fabric  is 
relatively  low,  counting  only  52  ends  and  48  picks  per  inch,  which  should 
show  a  very  satisfactory  production,  as  the  looms,  82  inches  in  width  being 
prefeiable,  may  be  operated  at  a  speed  of  120  picks  per  minute.  With  good 
yams  and  well  prepared  warps  there  should  be  no  trouble  encountered  in 
the  weave  room  with  looms  of  the  proper  type  at  this  speed.  In  these  days 
of  haid  competition  it  is  essential  that  production  shall  be  large,  as  the  pos- 
sible margin  of  profit  is  very  low,  indeed,  on  goods  which  are  not  in  the 
novelty  class. 

In  order  to  earn  a  dividend  that  shall  be  satisfactory  to  the  stockhold- 
ers it  is  necessary  that  everyone  in  the  manufacturing  department  devote 
their  energies  to  securing  the  largest  possible  output  of  perfect  goods.  In 
some  mills  the  latter  item  seems  to  be  lost  sight  of  to  a  marked  extent, 
with  a  resultant  high  rate  of  finishing  expense,  and  too  often  an 

Excess  of  Remnants 

and  seconds.  In  the  production  of  the  type  of  goods  under  discussion  there 
should  be  an  extremely  low  percentage  of  seconds  made,  and  should  the 
"strings"  or  allowances  for  imperfections  average  over  two  for  each  piece, 
it  would  be  wise  to  undertake  a  rigid  investigation  as  to  the  cause  and  see 
that  further  work  of  that  sort  is  eliminated. 

If  the  yarns  are  spun  by  the  mill  weaving  the  goods  there  is  absolutely 
no  excuse  for  poor  work,  and  if  they  are  purchased  in  the  open  market, 
no  reputable  spinner  would  continue  to  deliver  yarns  not  up  to  the  standard 
if  the  matter  were  called  to  his  attention.  Yarns  for  the  production  of  such 
fabrics  as  this  should  be  spun  from  well  selected  fleece  wools,  with  no  ad- 
mixture of  pulled  wools,  as  those  are  termed  which  are  taken  from  the  skins 
of  dead  animals.  The  yarn  made  fr®m  wool  shorn  from  a  living  sheep  is 
much  brighter,  loftier  and  of  greater  strength  than  any  that  can  be  made 
from  the  same  grade  of  pulled  wools.  For  the  manufacture  of  the  worsted 
twists,  top -dyed  yarns  should  be  used,  as  in  this  method  of  manufacture  the 
noils  are  left  in  the  white,  in  which  condition  they  are  more  salable  and 
command  a  much  higher  price.  Top-dyeing  may  be  performed  in  a  variety 
of  ways,  one  of  the  most  common,  in  use  in  many  mills  fitted  with  skein- 
dyeing  machines  of  the  Klauder-Weldon  type,  being  to  make  skeins  of  the 
top  and  dye  in  the  same  manner  as  yarn.  This  is  hardly  as  satisfactory  as 
the 

Method  of  Dyeing  in  Balis, 

as  now  in  common  use  by  a  large  number  of  job  dyers  and  worsted  spin- 
ners. By  this  method  it  is  unnecessary  to  handle  the  top  so  often,  and,  on 
the  whole,  better  results  are  obtained.  The  balls  of  top  are  placed  on  a 
perforated  spindle  in  a  suitable  receptacle  and  the  dye-liquor  forced  through 
by  means  of  a  pump.  In  this  way  perfect  penetration  is  obtained  and  a  level 
color  assured  with  no  damage  to  the  material.  When  the  desired  shade  is 
obtained  the  liquor  is  pumped  into  a  tank  or  allowed  to  flow  into  the  waste 
way,  the  tops  removed  from  the  dyeing  machine,  extracted,  dried,  and  are 
then  ready  for  the  gilling  process.  In  the  sample  here  analyzed,  three  dis- 
tinct twists  are  used:  A  dark  ox-blood  red  is  twisted  with  olive,  a  sapnhire 
with  black,  and  a  white  silk  with  black  for  the  warp  colors,  while  the  filling 
is  all  black.  The  warps  may  be  dressed  on  a  dry  frame,  as  the  size  and 
strength  is  such  that  sizing  is  not  needed  to  insure  good  weaving.  In  the 
weave  room,  the  looms  should  be  carefully  adjusted  when  the  warps  arc 


152 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


started  and  should  require  comparatively  little  attention  from  the  fixer 
until  the  warp  is  out,  as  the  weave  is  easy  and  will  not  cause  undue  strain 
on  any  part  of  the  mechanism.  For  goods  of  this  description  a  loom  with 
positive  take-up  is  much  the  best  type  to  use,  as  it  practically 

Eliminates  All  Trouble 

in  the  way  of  uneven  cloth,  and  in  a  measure  insures  that  the  correct  tex- 
ture is  maintained  throughout  the  piece.  After  weaving,  the  goods  should 
be  measured  and  inspected,  all  imperfections  marked  with  a  chalk  that 
may  be  readily  removed  in  the  scouring,  and  the  details  as  to  length,  weight, 
piece  number,  etc.,  entered  on  suitable  sheets  provided  for  that  purpose. 
In  the  burling  room  the  knots  should  be  raised,  slugs  removed,  and  all 
imperfections  not  indicated  by  the  percher  should  be  marked  at  this  time, 
so  that  the  sewers  may  not  waste  valuable  time  in  looking  for  damages 
requiring  their  attention.  The  goods  are  now  ready  for  the  fulling,  and 
should  be  run  into  the  mill  double,  or  two  pieces  at  once.  The  soap  used 
should  be  a  pure  neutral  palm  oil  built  up  to  the  required  strength  with  a 
mild  alkali.  The  use  of  a  soaping  machine,  to  secure  even  distribution  of 
th-e  soap,  will  materially  assist  in  attaining  satisfactory  results.  When 
sufficiently  fulled,  the  pieces  should  be  immediately  transferred  to  the 
washer  and  given  a  run  with  warm  water  for  20  to  30  minutes,  which  should 
be  sufRci-ent  to  float  out  the  grease  and  dirt,  then  rinsed  in  warm  water  and 
worked  for  half  an  hour  with  clear  cold  water.  Extract  for  three  minutes, 
wet  brush  and  dry.  From  the  dryer  the  pieces  should  go  to  the  back  burlers 
and  then  have  two  or  three  runs  on  the  brush  before  shearing. 

The  shearing  of  this  type  of  fabric  is  a  short  operation,  as  all  that  is 
required  is  the  evening  of  the  nap  and  clipping  off  all  the  long,  loose  fibres. 
From  the  shear  the  pieces  should  go  to  the  fine  sewers,  where  imperfections 
hitherto  unnoticed  may  be  repaired,  when  the  goods  are  ready  for  the  final 
brushing.  Before  pressing  give  a  run  on  the  dewing  machine,  then  give  a 
fairly  heavy  press,  roll  up  hot  and  allow  to  cool  off  on  the  rolls.  The  finish 
will  be  much  improved  if  the  goods  are  not  disturbed  for  at  least  24  hours. 


LAYOUT. 
2,912  ends;  10%  reed,  4  in  dent  = 
11/2"  for  listing  =  69.2"  over  all. 
48  picks. 

DRESSING. 
2/22    black    and    60/2  white 

silk  tw   1 

2/22  black  and  sapphire  tw.  .  1 
2/22  ox  blood  and  olive  tw. .. 


♦Sectionss 

Filling-:   2/22  black 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,1^:4   ends   2/22  tw.    ==   5.67  oz.  4- 

10%   take-up   = 

72S   piv\s  2/22  black   =   1.89  oz.  + 

1.0%   t>ke-up   = 

728   PDds   60/2   si'k    -=    .-231   oz.  + 

20%    take-up   = 

48  X  69.2 

48  pks.  2/22  blk.  = 


67.7"  + 


I 

I  1 
I  1 
2     I  2 

I  

4 

104 

416 
♦7 

2.912 


Loom  weight 


24  X  560^16-T-2 


6.300  oz. 
2.100  oz. 
.288  oz. 
=  8.690  oz. 
17.378  oz. 


COST. 

6.3   oz.    4-    5%   waste   =    6.63  oz. 

84c.    per  lb  

2.1   oz.    -f-    7%    waste   =    2.26  oz. 

72c.  per  lb  

.288  oz.    4-   3%  waste  =  .297  oz. 

$3.36    per  lb  

8.69   oz.   -f    5%   waste  =   9.14  oz. 

72c.  per  lb  


Cost  of  stock   

Manufacturing,  48  picks 


Net  mill  cost 


-  $  .348 

=  .102 

=  .062 

=  .411 

$  .923 
.350 

$1,273 


Eight   harness,    straight  draw. 

n  ■^□■•□□B 
^  PBODBBna 

W  nBBDDBBa 

rnB'^nnB* 

BDMBBaDB 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


153 


CREPE  CLOTH 


One  of  tli€  most  popular  fabrics  shown  in  the  dress  goods  trade  this 
season  is  the  crepe  in  a  variety  of  weights  and  colors.  Possibly  it  owes 
part  of  its  popularity  to  the  fact  that  it  ministers  to  the  craving  for  some- 
thing new,  which  is  ever  present,  particularly  with  the  feminine  portion  of 
our  population.  The  novel  feature  of  the  cloth  is  its  light  weight  and  full 
handle,  combined  with  the  facility  for  draping  very  nicely.  In  the  cheaper 
grades  it  is  shown  made  up  into  popular-priced  suits,  to  sell  at  retail  for 
$17.50  to  $20,  according  to  the  location  and  clientele  of  the  merchant.  The 
novelty  effect  produced  is  entirely  the  result  of  the  weave  used,  and  does  not 
depend  on  unusual  shrinkage  of  the  yarns,  as  do  many  of  the  fabrics  sold 
under  this  name.  The  stock  used  for  the  manufacture  of  the  sample  here 
described  is  combed  from  one  of  the  foreign  crossbreds.  New  Zealand  or 
South  American,  or  possibly  a  blend  of  both  of  them.    Both  these  wools  are 

Particularly  Well  Adapted 

for  use  in  dress  goods  manufacture,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  importa- 
tions of  these  stocks  are  used  in  the  production  of  fabrics  for  women's  wear. 
In  view  of  the  great  number  of  automatic  looms  now  operating  so  success- 
fully on  many  types  of  cotton  goods,  it  would  seem  that  they  might  find  an 
extended  field  in  the  production  of  many  of  the  worsted  dress  goods  that 
are  woven  in  the  grey  and  afterward  piece-dyed.  A  few  of  them  are  in 
successful  use  and  should  create  hard  competition  for  mills  not  so  equipped. 
Fabrics  of  this  character,  in  which  the  warps  are  made  from  strong,  two-ply 
yarns,  should  show  a  considerable  saving  when  made  on  automatic  looms 
over  those  woven  on  the  ordinary  type  of  loom.  The  yarns  in  the  sample 
analyzed  are  of  comparatively  low  grade,  the  warp  a  two-ply  and  the  filling 
a  single  thread.  The  production  of  this  fabric  in  quantity  may  safely  be 
undertaken  by  any  mill  having  fancy  looms  of  12-harness  capacity,  as 

A  Variety  of  Styles  May  Be  Made 

that  require  a  no  greater  number  of  harnesses.  The  warps  may  be  dressed 
on  a  dry  frame,  then  placed  in  the  slasher  for  sizing,  which  will  effect  a 
considerable  saving  in  time  over  the  wet  dressing  frame,  and  usually  is 
productive  of  much  better  results  in  the  weave  room.  Before  putting  the 
warp  into  the  loom,  the  fixer  should  take  the  time  required  to  go  over  the 

LAYOUT. 

1,900   ends;   91/2    reed,   4   in  dent   =  50"    -f  ■■^■n-i-i(«r^_-n 

IV^"  for  listing  =  5IV2"  over  alL 

:5  0  picks..  .  □■□□■aaa«aaH 

CALCULATIONS.  h  ;gS5SSS3S3SS 

1.900  ends  2/30  =  3.62  oz.   +   10%  § 

take-up   =  oz.  ^  □□■□«Bnaan«B 

575  X  50  r 
50  picks  1/20=  ....=  ^^34^  □.□-.□..□.^D 

Loom   weight    7.516  oz. 

COST. 

3.982    oz.    4-    5%    waste    =    4.19  oz. 

(a)  70c.  per  ]b  =  $  .18331 

3.534  cz.   +  3%  w^aste        3.644  oz. 

@  64c.  per  lb  =  .14576 

Cost  of  stock    $  .32907 

Manufacturing.   50 -picks   =  .25000 

Net   mill    cost    $  .57907 

loom  thoroughly,  and  see  that  it  is  in  the  best  possible  condition,  as  many 
parts  may  now  be  reached  with  ease  that  are  not  easily  gotten  at  when  a 
warp  is  ready  for  weaving.  The  finishing  is  not  essentially  different  from 
the  process  usually  pursued  with  clear  finished  fabrics  and  requires  the  use 


154 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  no  special  machinery.  After  burling  and  sewing,  the  pieces  are  scoured 
in  the  ordinary  type  of  washing  machine  and  then  immediately  transferred 
to  the  crab. 

While  many  finishers  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  old  style  Yorkshire  is 
productive  of  the  best  results,  there  is  a  rapidly  growing  number  who  are  in 
favor  of  using  the  continuous  crab  for  this  class  of  fabrics.  The  fact  that 
it  requires  less  labor  and  is  a  much  more  rapid  process  has  done  much  to 
assist  it  in  acquiring  the  strong  position  it  now  holds  with  finishers  who 
are  familiar  with  its  use.  The  goods  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the 
crab  rolls  until  they  are  thoroughly  set  and  may  then  be  taken  to  the  dye- 
house.  The  dyeing  is  performed  in  the  ordinary  type  of  kettle  with  a  reel 
over  which  the  goods  pass.  The  form  of  reel  approved  by  many  dyers  is  a 
wooden  drum,  on  which  rounded  knoblike  blocks  are  placed  at  intervals, 
which  prevent  the  cloth  from  running  continuously  in  the  same  folds.  When 
dyed,  the  goods  are  cooled  off  and  well  rinsed  before  removing  from  the 
kettle,  then  extracted  and  dried.  After  a  run  on  the  brush  they  are  sheared, 
again  brushed,  pressed,  inspected  and  rolled  up  for  market. 


FIGURED  DRESS  GOODS 

Among  the  novelties  offered  the  present  season,  one  of  the  most  pop- 
ular of  the  worsted  fabrics  is  the  brocade  effect,  either  produced  by  means 
of  the  weave  alone,  or  with  the  addition  of  extra  threads  for  the  figure  in 
warp  or  filling,  or,  in  many  cases,  in  both  systems  of  threads.  The  threads 
used  for  the  formation  of  the  figures  are  sometimes  identical  with  those  of 
the  groundwork,  and  in  other  instances  are  of  a  different  size  or  of  an 
entirely  different  material.  It  is  not  at  all  unusual  to  find  a  groundwork  of 
cotton  with  figures  of  worsted,  or  a  worsted  ground  with  silk  figures.  The 
type  of  fabric  illustrated  and  analyzed  is  composed  of  worsted  warp  and 


Figured  Dress  Goods. 

filling,  with  the  decorative  threads  of  a  relatively  large  size  when  compar- 
ed with  the  ground. 

One  of  the  chief  features  in  which  this  fabric  differs  from  many  of  those 
which  have  sold  so  freely  in  the  recent  past  is  in  the  method  of  producing 
the  figure.  The  yarns  used  for  the  figure  effect  are  first  skein-dyed  to  a 
dark  shade  and  then  dressed  into  a  warp  of  grey  yarn.  By  means  of  piece- 
dyeing,    it    is    possible    to   produce  a    number  of  very  effective  styles 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


155 


from  one  dressing.  The  dark  threads  which  form  the  figure  on  the  face  of 
the  goods  are  not  changed  in  color,  or  to  a  very  slight  extent,  while  the 
yarns  in  the  grey,  which  form  the  groundwork,  may  be  dyed  to  practically 
any  desired  shade.  There  are  several  decided  advantages  in  this  method 
of  manufacturing,  and  it  may  be  applied  to  many  other  cloths  with  equally 
good  results.  By  this  procedure  the  coloring  of  the  ground  warp  in  the 
skein  is  eliminated,  with  a  considerable  saving  of  steam  and  labor,  as  well 
as  the  winding  from  the  skein  to  six-inch  double  headed  spools, 
and  the  transfer  from  these  to  the  dresser  spools,  with  its 
attendant  expense  and  waste  of  material.  An  equal  saving  is  made  on  the 
single  yarns  used  tor  the  filling.  If  the  goods  were  to  be  woven  in  the 
colors  of  the  finished  fabric,  it  would  necessitate  either  dyeing  the  stock 
for  the  filling  in  the  raw  state,  or  in  the  form  of  slubbing  or  top.  The  first 
and  second  methods  are  not  in  common  use  at  the  present  time,  as  either 
of  these  systems  would  produce  colored  wastes  and  noils,  which  are  not 
salable  at  prices  which  can  be  obtained  for  these  by-products  in  the  grey. 

If  necessary  to  produce  a  single  yarn  in  colors,  the  method  most  in 
vogue  in  modern  mills  is  to  dye  the  top,  which  eliminates  the  making  of 
the  major  portion  of  the  colored  wastes.  There  are  a  number  of  machines 
on  the  market  which  are  built  especially  for  work;  of  this  kind.  One  of 
the  most  satisfactory,  perhaps,  is  that  in  which  the  balls  of  top  are  packed 
in  a  can  around  a  central  perforated  spindle,  through  which  the  hot  dye- 
bath  is  driven  by  means  of  a  force  pump.  By  this  method  the  tops  are  col- 
ored 

Without  Injury  to  the  SMver, 

and  penetration  is  absolute  with  extremely  level  shades.  After  coloring, 
the  tops  are  put  through  the  back-washer  and  are  then  ready  for  the  draw- 
ing process.  It  will  be  readily  understood,  even  by  the  novice,  that,  dis- 
pensing with  these  operations,  which  may  be  done  by  the  method  of  cross- 
d>eing  used  in  the  production  of  the^e  faurics,  will  n  ean  a  consideraDle 
saving  in  the  cost  of  manufacture,  and  give  results  that  are  extremely 
satisfactory.  The  yarns  used,  both  for  the  ground  and  figure  of  this  cloth, 
are  spun  from  quarter-blood  wools,  and  may  be  either  foreign  or  domestic 
crossbreds.  The  greater  part  of  the  dress  goods  manufactured  from  this 
grade  of  stock  is  made  from  the  South  American  and  New  Zealand  cross- 
breds, as  these  wools  are  particularly  well  adapted  for  the  production  of 
fabrics  of  this  type,  and  are  not  very  desirable  for  making  yarns  for  men's 
wear  purposes. 

The  manufacture  of  domestic  worsted  dress  goods  is  very  extensively 
confined  to  the  larger  corporations  who  are  equipped  with  machinery  to 
produce  their  own  yarns  from  the  raw  stock.  This  enables  them  to  elim- 
inate part  of  the  expense  incident  to  buying  the  yarns  from  outside  spin- 
ners, and  also  enables  them  to  have  yarns  of  a  uniform  grade  at  all  times, 
which  would  not  be  possible  if  they  depended  on  worsted  spinners  for 
their  requirements.  Probably  the  strongest  argument  in  favor  of  operating 
their  own  spinning  plant  is  the  fact  that  by  so  doing  they  are  enabled  to 

Cut  Out  the  Spinner's  Profit 

and  reduce  their  manufacturing  costs  by  eliminating  part  of  the  expense 
incident  to  the  operation  of  two  independent  organizations.  While  it  is 
manifestly  impossible  to  m.anufacture  the  yarns  at  a  labor  cost  much  less 
than  that  of  the  independent  spinner,  it  is  possible  to  reduce  the  overhead 
charges  to  an  appreciable  degree,  and  add  part  of  his  legitimate  profits  to 
the  margin  of  profit  on  the  goods.  In  o.'der  that  the  manufacturer  may  earn 
good  dividends  for  his  mill,  it  is  essential  that  his  production  should  be 
well  sold  every  season,  and  this  result  can  only  be  realized  by  having  his 


156 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


prices  on  a  parity  witli  other  makers  of  similar  lines,  and  in  seasons  of 
hard  competition  the 

Margin  Between  Cost 

and  selling  price  becomes  microscopic.  It  is  in  seasons  like  this  that  the 
ability  of  the  management  has  its  severest  test.  Every  season  there  are 
many  fabrics  shown  which,  from  the  sellers'  standpoint,  are  about  equally 
desirable,  but  because  of  some  particular  feature  connected  with  one  of 
them,  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  production.  In  this 
case  it  is  the  manager  who  is  thoroughly  informed  as  to  his  organization 
and  its  capabilities  who  wins  out.  By  a  wise  selection  of  fabrics  he  is 
enabled  to  run  his  plant  on  the  styles  that  will  show  the  largest  net  re- 
turns. 

Frequently  a  slight  change  in  the  size  of  yarns  or  construction  will 
change  a  fabric  from  an  unprofitable  cloth  to  one  that  will  show  a  good 
margin  of  profit.  Then,  too,  it  is  possible  to  so  change  a  style  that  the 
general  effect  and  selling  capacity  will  not  be  depreciated  in  the  least, 
while  its  rate  of  production  will  be  very  materially  increased,  with  a  con- 
sequent lowering  of  the  manufacturing  cost.  In  the  cloth  under  discussion 
the  texture  is  relatively  low,  but  the  weave  used  for  the  background  gives 
it  an  appearance  of  comparative  fineness,  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
obtain  were  a  different  weave  used.  The  warp  counts  but  48  threads  to 
the  inch,  and  is  dressed  with  six  ground  threads  and  two  figure  threads  to 
the  pattern.  The  filling  has  but  44  threads  to  the  inch,  six  of  ground  and 
two  for  the  figure,  as  in  the  warp.  The  figure  is  developed  by  floating  the 
comparatively  coarse  ends  in  warp  and  filling  over  a  portion  of  the  ground 
in  some  places  and  at  others  by  interlacing  them  with  the  ground  threads. 
A  great  variety  of  styles  may  be  made  by  the  skilled  designer  even  with 
the  small  number  of  threads  used  in  this  pattern,  and  by  increasing  the 
number  of  ends  to  the  pattern  and  the  harnesses  the  number  of  combina- 
tions possible  with  the 

Ordinary  Harness  Loom 

goes  into  the  hundreds.  If  the  jacquard  head  is  called  into  play,  the  pat- 
terns become  almost  infinite  in  variety.  To  obtain  the  best  results,  the 
manufacture  of  the  yarns  is  an  extremely  important  feature,  as  this  de- 
termines in  a  large  measure  the  production  of  the  looms.  The  yarns  should 
be  made  from  long-staple,  well-grown  wools,  well  sorted  and  scoured.  In 
the  drawing  room  there  is  a  tendency  to  overdraft  the  sliver  in  order  to 
lessen  the  number  of  operations,  but  such  methods  are  not  conducive  to  the 
best  results  and  are  to  be  avoided. 

Very  common  defects  in  worsted  yarns  are  slugs  or  bunches  on  the 
yarn  which  require  considerable  time  and  labor  to  remove  in  the  finishing 
room.  Many  of  these  are  carried  in  the  spinning  room  by  the  use  of  de- 
fective top  rolls,  those  on  which  the  leather  covering  has  become  worn  in 
places,  allowing  the  roving  to  pass  through  in  lumps  instead  of  being  prop- 
erly drawn  out.  That  imperfections  of  this  sort  may  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum,  the  frames  should  be  inspected  at  frequent  intervals  and  de- 
fective rolls  replaced  by  others  in  perfect  condition.  This  is  even  more 
essential  when  making  the  single  yarn  used  for  filling,  as  there  is 

No  Opportunity  for  Inspecting 
this  and  removing  the  imperfections  before  they  are  woven  into  the  goods. 
The  warps  may  be  dressed  on  a  dry  frame  and  drawn  in  without  slashing, 
as  the  use  of  two-ply  yarns  will  obviate  the  necessity  for  this  operation. 
After  weaving,  the  goods  are  examined  for  imperfections  and  measured  in 
the  weave  room,  then  taken  to  the  burlers,  where  the  knots  are  removed, 
slugs  reduced  and  bits  of  foreign  matter  picked  out.  The  menders  will 
repl'^ce  all  broken  threads,  repair  damages  caused  by  floats  and  imperfec- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  157 

tions  of  other  kinds.  Next  in  order  is  the  scouring  operation,  which  is 
very  important,  as  improper  treatment  in  this  process  will  be  the  cause 
of  serious  trouble  in  the  dyehouse.  The  goods  should  be  scoured  with  a 
pure,  neutral  soap,  built  up  to  sufficient  strength  with  a  pure,  mild  alkali. 
It  should  not  be  necessary,  in  the  case  of  worsted  goods,  to  use  any  harsh 


LAYOUT. 

2,592  ends;   10  reed,   4  in  dent  =  64.8" 


1^"  for  listing 
44  picks. 

DRESSED. 

Black   

Wliite   


over  all. 
2 


Black 
White 


FILLING. 


2  I 


CALCULATIONS. 
648  ends  2/22   =   1.711  oz.    +  5% 

take-up   =  1, 

1,944  ends  2/32   =  3.47  oz.    +  5% 

take-up   =  3. 

11X66.3 

11  picks  2/22  =    =  1. 


33  picks  1/24  = 


22X560-f-2-i-16 
33X66.3 


796  oz. 
548  oz. 
893  oz. 


Loom  weight 


24X560-T-2-i-16 


2.604  oz. 
9.841  oz. 


COST. 

3.689  oz.  2/22  14  black  +5%  waste 
=  3.88  oz.  @  78c.  per  lb  = 

3.548  oz.  2/32  14  white  4-5%  waste 
=  3.73  oz.  @  70c.  per  lb  = 

2.604  oz.  1/24  %  white  +  3%  waste 
=  2.68  oz.  @  64c.  per  lb  = 


Cost  of  stock   

Manufacturing,   44  picks. 


$  .1891 
.1631 
.1072 


Net  mill  cost 


$  .4594 
.2500 


$  .7094 


□■□□■■□□□■□□■■□□u 
■■■□■□■□■■■□MGiiaHaHuaGHaaBJiaaafla 
■■  □■□■□anflaflGHGjiMHUiiuautfflflaa  ^  ■□■ 

MDaDilGHaBGaHaJHGaU 
□GGBGflGa_GGflGHGaaaGauaG«HaQaDaGB 
B«BGBGBGBBBG«GB  BdBGtfGaGBaaGBGtfG 
BBG*GBGBBflGBGBGBBBG«GMG««BGBGBGB 
BGGGBBGGBUaG-BaGliaaGGGGaBDGaBBGD 
□BaGB^GGGaGGB^GGGBaGaaGGGBaGBBaG 
BBBGBGBGBBaGBGaGatfaGBGfl  ..aBBGBGBG 
BaGaGBGBB:«GBGaGaBBGflUiiGBBaGaGBGa 
GGBGBG-GGGBGBGBGGGBGBGBG  GBGBGBG 
□  GBGBGBGGGBGBGBGGGBGBGBGGGaGBGB 
BBBGBGBGBBBG^GBGBBBGBGBGBBBGBGBG 
BBGBGBGBBBGBGB  .««BGflGBGBB  <.G*GBGB 
BGGGGGGGBGGGBBGG  *GGGB«GG -GGGBBGg 
aBGGaaGGG^GGilBGGGM  GB^GGGBUGB  *  G 
BBBGBGBGB«BGBGBGBBBGBG«uBBBGBGBG 
BBGBGBGBBBGBGBGBBaGBGBGBBBGBGBGB 
BBBGBGaG ABB  ^BG«GGGBGBG  sa ^GBGBGBG 
BBGBGBGttBBGflGBGBGGGBGBGBGG  BGBGB 
BB'GBGBGBBBGBGBGBBBGBGBGBBBGBGBG 
B«GBGBG«BflGBGBGBBBGBGBG«Ba^B  .BGB 
BaGGGGGGaGGGaaGGB  aGBBGGaG_GBB  □ 
□BGGGGGG  BGG«BGGGBGG«BG jGBGGBBGG 
BBBGBGB  BBB  ,BGBGBBBGBGBGBBBGBGBG 
BBGBuBGBBBGB^BGBBBGBGBGBBdiGBGBGB 

FULL  WEAVE, 


WEAVE. 

GGGGBGBGB^BG 
GGuGUB  BGBGB 
BBB*BGBGBGliG 
■  BBBGil  BGBGB 
BGBGGCBIIiBBGG  Black 
GllG»^:GGHIiBilGG 
BHBBBGBGHGBG 
BHBttGBGiiG^GB 
GGBIiBaBGHGBG 
GGiiiiGBGiiGBGB 
BHBMteUHGBGBG 
BbBiiGBGMlGBGB 
B^  m  GGBBttBLG 
GBGBGGBBilBGG 
HiiitetilGliGliGiilG 
BliBliGiiUeGBGB 
GGGGH  BGBGBG 
G^.  GJBGH  BGB 
KBKMilGliGBGBG 
BBBBLBLIiL^Bi  ,B 
BGBuGGaGB 

GBGBGGGLliB  

BiiBBBGBGBGBG 
'  BGB  BGB 

tGGB  BGB  BG 
BBGGGBGBGBGB 
BBBIiBGB  BGBG 
BMHBGBGBGBGB 
BuBGGGGGIi^-BB 
GBGBGGGLBBBB 
BBBBBGBGB  BG 
BBHB^BGKGBGB 


DRAFT. 


6666«6(56 
,  5  5  5  5  5  5  5 


detergents,  as  the  pieces  contain  but  little  in  the  way  of  impurities.  It  is 
very  essential,  however,  that  the  pieces  should  be  thoroughly  cleansed  and 
the  soap  entirely  rinsed  out.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  dry  the  goods,  but 
give  them  five  minutes  in  the  extractor,  and  take  them  immediately  to  the 


158 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


continuous  crabbing  machine,  which  will  put  them  in  perfect  condition  for 
the  dyeing. 

Cross-dyeing  is  not  essentially  different  from  the  ordinary  system  of 
piece-dyeing,  and  is  carried  on  in  the  regular  piece-dye  kettles.  The  chief 
feature  to  be  considered  is  the  use  of  dyes  which  will 

Not  Affect  the  Color 
of  the  yarns  previously  dyed  in  the  skein,  which  are  introduced  for  deco- 
rative purposes,  or,  in  the  case  of  cotton  or  silk  decorations,  the  use  of 
drugs  which  have  no  effect  on  these  fibres.  In  recent  years  there  have 
been  brought  out  a  great  variety  of  dyestuffs  particularly  adapted  for  this 
class  of  work,  and  which  give  practically  perfect  results  if  used  with  due 
care.  The  pieces  are  cooled  off  and  rinsed  in  the  tub,  extracted  and  dried, 
then  taken  to  the  brush  and  given  a  run  or  two  beiore  shearing.  The  shear 
must  not  be  set  close,  as  it  is  not  required  to  give  the  fabric  an  extremely 
clear  finish;  in  fact,  this  would  be  impracticable,  as  close  shearing  would  re- 
sult in  clipping  off  part  of  the  comparatively  loosely  woven  figure  threads. 
When  sheared,  a  run  on  the  dewing  machine  will  prepare  the  pieces  for 
pressing,  alter  which  they  may  be  inspected  and  rolled  up  for  market. 


CERISE  CLOTH 

A  very  attractive  novelty,  which  may  be  easily  manufactured  on  looms 
capable  of  carrying  a  small  number  of  harnesses  and  but  two  shuttles,  is 
the  **peau  de  cerise"  here  illustrated.  The  warp  is  dressed  entirely  of  one 
color  with  two  colors  used  in  the  filling,  one  of  them  the  same  shade  as 
the  warp,  while  the  other  is  of  a  contrasting  color  forming  a  stripe  on  the 
face  of  the  fabric.  This  method  may  be  employed  to  make  a  great  variety 
of  stripes  in  various  widths  and  in  combinations  of  two,  three  or  four  colors. 
The  principle  on  which  this  type  of  stripe  is  made  is  the  use  of  a  warp  and 
ground  filling  with  the  addition  of  an 

Extra  Filling  to  Form  the  Stripe. 
The  fabric  illustrated  has  a  white  warp  drawn  on  four  harnesses,  with  one 
pick  of  white  and  one  pick  of  black  in  the  filling.  It  is  capable  of  develop- 
ment in  all  wool,  cotton  and  wool,  or  may  be  made,  as  is  our  sample,  from 
worsted  and  wool.  It  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  filling  forming  the 
stripe  be  composed  of  wool,  or  it  will  not  be  possible  to  obtain  the  desired 
effect. 

The  peculiar  feature  of  the  fabric  illustrated  is  that  the  stripe  is  clean 
cut  on  both  face  and  back,  the  only  apparent  difference  being  in  the 
finish.  The  warp  is  made  from  a  half-blood  wool,  spun  on  the  French  sys- 
tem, with  the  worsted  filling  from  the  same  stock.  The  black  wool  used  to 
produce  the  colored  stripe  is  spun  from  a  nice. 

Twelve  Months'  Texas  Wool, 
which  is  particularly  well  adapted  to  this  type  of  fabric.    The  wool  is  fine, 
and  has  rather  more  serrations  than  many  other  types,  giving  it  pecul- 
iar feltiDg  properties,  which  are  features  that  especially  fit  it  for  pro- 
ducing the  desired  finish. 

To  obtain  the  best  results  and  make  all  the  profit  possible,  the  manu- 
facturer should  have  not  only  the  equipment  for  weaving,  but  also  worsted 
and  wool  yarn  making  machinery.  Unless  all  the  yarns  required  are  made 
by  the  weaver,  the  margin  of  profit  will  be  extremely  small.  The  worsted 
yarns  may  be  purchased  in  the  open  market  by  a  weaver  who  has  machin- 
ery for  making  the  wool  filling,  but  such  a  course  is  not  to  be  recommended, 
as  the  use  of  single  worsted  warps  by  those  not  accustomed  to  weaving 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  159 


them  is  usually  attended  with  considerable  difficulty  and  results  in  the 
making  of  a  large  percentage  of  seconds,  or  goods  that  require  an  excessive 
number  of  allowances.  Concerns  that  engage  extensively  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  fabrics  which  require  the  use  of  single  worsted  for  warp  purposes 
are  usually  equipped  with  machinery  particularly  adapted  for  that  kind 
of  work. 

Instead  of  using  a  wet  dressing  frame,  which  of  necessity  must  be 
operated  at  a  relatively  slow  speed,  the 

Warps  Are  Dressed  on  a  Dry  Frame 

and  sized  on  a  machine  known  as  a  slasher.  By  so  doing,  a  considerable 
amount  of  time  is  saved,  for  instead  of  operating  at  a  slow  speed,  as  would 
be  necessary  to  dry  each  section  individually  on  the  dresser,  the  entire 
width  of  the  warp  is  sized  and  dried  in  one  operation.  The  slasher  is  a 
machine  slightly  wider  than  the  warp  is  laid  out  in  the  loom.  It  consists 
in  the  main  of  a  size  box  with  rolls  letween  which  the  warp  passes,  and 


Cerise  Cloth. 


which  remove  the  excess  size  by  pressure.  From  the  squeeze  rolls  the 
moist  threads  are  conveyed  by  means  of  small  tin  rolls  between  steam 
coils  that  thoroughly  dry  them  before  they  pass  out  of  the  machine  and 
are  wound  on  the  loom  beam.  Between  the  slasher  and  loom  beam,  it  is 
customary  to  place  a  reed,  through  which  the  threads  are  drawn,  and  in 
this  way  they  are  kept  in  their  correct  position.  This  method  of  making 
the  warp  produces  a  much 

Better  Weaving  Warp 
than  one  beamed  directly  from  the  dressing  frame.  The  type  of  slasher 
described  above  is  one  of  the  most  commonly  used,  though  in  some  mills  is 
found  a  machine  more  nearly  approaching  the  type  commonly  found  in 
cotton  mills.  The  purpose  of  the  machine  is  the  same,  but  the  drying  is 
accomplished  in  a  slightly  different  manner.  In  the  latter  type  of  slasher 
the  threads  pass  around  in  contact  with  the  major  part  of  the  circumfer- 
ence of  a  large  steam-heated  cylinder  which  thoroughly  dries  the  yarn. 
The  looms  used  are  usually  a  light  model  of  the  Knowles  type  operated  at 
a  rate  of  speed  somewhat  less  than  is  customary  in  mills  making  fabrics 
of  all  two-ply  yarns. 

The  wool  tilling,  which  gives  the  cnaracteristic  linish  of  the  cloth,  must 
^e  made  from  a  fine  wool  with  good  tilling  qualities,  and  the  twelve  months* 
Texas  possesses  this  to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  is  also  of  sufficient 
length  to  make  a  thread  that  will  be  strong  and  produce  excellent  work 
in  every  department  of  the  mill  The  stock  must  be  carefully  sorted  and 


160 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


well  scoured.  In  many  instances  where  trouble  has  been  encountered  in  lat- 
er processes,  the  source  of  the  difhculty  has  been 

Traced  to  the  Scouring  Department. 
There  are  several  things  connected  with  this  department  that  may  cause 
untold  difficulty  in  subsequent  operations.  There  are  many  mill  managers 
who  seem  to  hold  the  opinion  that  wool  scouring  is  such  an  extremely  sim- 
ple process  that  it  requires  no  particular  skill  or  intelligence  on  the  part 
of  the  operative.  In  reality,  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  processes 
through  which  the  stock  passes  in  its  manipulation  into  the  finished  fab- 
ric. During  the  scouring,  through  lack  of  care  on  the  part  of  the  man  in 
charge,  the  fibre  may  become  so  injured  that  it  will  be  totally  unfitted  for 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended,  or  it  may  be  found  impossible  to 
spin  it  to  the  counts  desired.  This  may  seem  incredible  to  those  not  fa- 
miliar with  the  physical  structure  of  the  wool  fibre,  but  many  manufac- 
turers have  learned  it  to  be  a  fact  in  the  school  of  experience.  The 

Use  of  Impure  Detergents, 

an  excess  of  alkali  in  the  scouring  bath,  maintaining  too  high  a  tempera- 
ture during  the  scouring,  or  the  use  of  hard  water,  each  of  these  will 
have  a  very  deleterious  effect  on  the  stock,  if,  indeed,  it  is  not  absolutely 
ruined.  Harsh  treatment  in  the  dry  room,  too,  will  materially  affect  the 
working  properties  of  the  wool,  cause  it  to  become  harsh  and  brittle,  liable 
to  break  easily  in  the  carding  and  to  lose  the  kindly  feel  so  much  desired 
in  the  finished  goods.  If  possible,  the  wool  should  be  dried  without  the  aid 
of  artificial  heat,  or  by  the  so-called  cold  air  process.  Fabrics  made  from 
wool  so  dried  will  finish  up  with  a  much  better  touch  than  is  possible  to 
obtain  with  wool  which  is  dried  too  rapidly  by  means  of  a  high  temperature. 
Next  in  order  is  the  dyeing,  and  for  the  fabric  analyzed  there  is  nothing 
better  in  the  realm  of  dyestuffs  than  the  old  reliable 

Logwood  or  Hematine  Black. 
The  stock  is  prepared  with  a  chrome  mordant  and  afterward  colored  with 
hematine.  There  is  no  disputing  the  fact  that  this  method  is  slow  and 
laborious,  but  where  is  the  one  dip  black  that  has  the  beauty  and  bloom  of 
the  shade  obtained  in  this  manner?  When  thoroughly  dry  the  stock  is 
ready  for  the  picker.  In  order  that  the  stock  may  be  easily  carded,  it  is 
necessary  that  a  lubricant  of  some  kind  be  applied,  as  the  natural  oil  con- 
tained in  the  wool  in  its  original  condition  has  been  removed  by  scouring. 
As  to  the  best  oil  to  use,  or  perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  say,  the  most 
satisfactory  oil,  from  the  viewpoint  of  efficiency  and  economy,  there  is  a 
considerable  diversity  of  opinion,  and  it  is  not  within  the  scope  of  this 
article  to  exploit  any  particular  brand.  In  order  to  apply  the  oil  as  evenly 
as  possible,  •  it  is  customary  to  mix  it  with  water  and  emulsify  by  the  ad  - 
dUion  of  a  small  quantity  of  some  mild  alkali.  This  emulsion  is  appliod 
while  warm  and  beaten  into  the  wool  with  a  long  stick  to  secure  penetra- 
tion of  the  entire  mass.  Sufficient  emulsion  should  be  applied  to  give  the 
proportion  of  four  quarts  of  oil  per  hundred  pounds  of  wool,  which  on  stock 
of  this  character  will  be  found  to  give  excellent  results.  After  oiling  and 
mixing,  the  stock  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  room,  not  too  dry,  in  order  to 
prevent  undue  evaporation.  Carding  and  spinning  should  not  present  any 
difficulty  with  clear  stock  of  this  grade,  well  prepared  in  the  picker  house. 
The  preparation  of  the  warps  will  require  considerable  care,  as  under  the 
best  of  conditions  single  warps  are  apt  to  weave  as  well  as  those  made 
from  two-ply  yarns.  To  insure  good  work  in  the  looms,  the  warps  must 
be  well  sized  with  a  material  that  will  hold  all  the  loose  fibres  to  the  thread 
so  as  to  prevent  chafing  during  the  weaving  operation.  With  poor  siz- 
ing materials  it  will  be  found  extremely  difficult  to  secure  a  good  pro- 
duction in  the  weave  room  or  goods  that  may  be  finished  without  ex- 
cessive expense  in  the  mending  department. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


161 


Goods  of  this  character  may  be  woven  on  the  double  loom  system  very 
readily,  as  the  fineness  of  the  filling  will  require  the  changing  of  the  shut 
ties  with  comparative  infrequency,  thus  allowing  the  operative  plenty  of 
time  to  see  that  perfect  work  is  being  made.  Burling  and  sewing  should 
be  thoroughly  done,  with  an  inspection  by  the  percher  to  see  that  the  girls 
are  not  slighting  these  important  items.    The  wet  finishing  is  a 

Very  Important  Process 

in  the  production  of  any  kind  of  goods,  and  in  this  case  is  possibly  the 
most  critical  operation  of  all.  On  the  treatment  in  this  department,  de- 
pends the  success  or  failure  of  the  effort  to  produce  a  satisfactory  fabric. 
In  order  to  avoid  any  danger  of  impairing  the  appearance  of  the  white 
stripe,  it  would  be  advisable  to  scour  the  pieces  before  they  are  taken  to 
the  fulling  mills.  The  scouring  is  an  operation  which  requires  consid- 
erable care.  The  pieces  are  placed  in  the  machine  with  an  end  of  each 
through  a  "pol  eye"  or  guide,  which  compels  them  to  assume  the  form 
of  a  rope.  In  this  shape  they  run  between  two  heavy,  hard-wood  rolls, 
which  squeeze  the  soap,  water  and  dirt  out  wi.  the  goods.  A  run  of  20  to 
30  minutes  in  warm  soapsuds,  with  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  hour's 
rinsing  should  leave  the  goods  perfectly  clean.  They  should  then  be  ex- 
tracted and  dried  before  fulling,  though  many  finishers  consider  that  it  is 
unnecessary  to  dry  after  scouring,  if  the  goods  are  to  be  fulled  immediately. 
Much  depends  on  conditions  found  in  the  various  mills  and  also  on  the 
fabrics  to  be  finished.  In  the  case  of  heavy  goods  a  thorough  extracting 
may  be  suflftcient,  but  with  very  light  goods  there  is  danger  of  running 
them  too  wet  if  the  drying  is  dispensed  with  at  this  point.  A  soaping  ma- 
chine, which  will  give  equal  distribution  of  soap  to  all  parts  of  the  piece, 
is  well-nigh  indispensable  on  light  fabrics  which  require  but  a  short  time 
in  the  mill.  If  soap  is  applied  in  the  ordinary  manner,  by  "means  of  the 
soap  boxes  at  the  back  of  the  mills,  there  is  great  danger  that  it  will  not 
reach  equally  all  parts  of  the  pieces,  and  uneven  fulling  will  be  the  re- 
sult. The  soap  used  should  be  of  some  standard  make,  with  a  fairly  gool 
body  and  absolutely  neutral.  In  extremely  warm  weather  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  open  the  doors  of  the  falling  mill  to  prevent  excessive  heatirg  of 
the  pieces.  The  result  aimed  for  is  to  secure  a  good  close  felt  on  the 
pieces  which  will  appear  smooth  and  lustrous  when  finished.  When  well 
felted  the  goods  are  washed,  extracted,  and  taken  to  the 

Mappers  Without  Drying. 

Unless  the  pieces  contain  a  considerable  amount  of  moisture,  the  napping 
will  be  a  failure,  as  the  action  of  the  teasels,  or  wire,  on  a  dry  fabric,  in- 
stead of  producing  the  desired  effect,  which  is  a  close,  smooth,  well  laid 
nap,  will  result  in  forming  a  rough,  uneven  surface  that  it  will  be  impos- 
sible, by  subsequent  treatment,  to  put  into  proper  condition  to  permit  of 
giving  the  finish  desired.  By  means  of  the  moisture  contained  in  the  goods 
the  fibres  are  rendered  soft  and  pliable,  so  that  they  are  easily  combed 
out  into  a  thick,  velvety  felt,  without  tearing  them  loose  from  the  body  of 
the  fabric.  The  method  of  producing  the  nap  on  the  surface  of  the  fabric 
has  been  changed  materially  from  the  tedious  process  known  to  our  ances- 
tors. In  the  olden  times  it  was  customary  to  stretch  the  goods  between  two 
supports  and  teasel  them  by  hand,  an  extremely  slow  and  laborious  opera- 
tion, and  one  which  gave  uneven  results.  Then  came  the  single  cylinder 
gig,  which  consisted  essentially  of  a  large  cylinder,  with  suitable  means 
for  fastening  the  teasels  to  its  surface  and  rolls,  by  means  of  which  the 
cloth  could  be  made  to  pass  up  and  down  in  contact  with  the  teasels. 
Later,  the  double  cylinder  gig  was  introduced  with  guide  rolls  working  on 
a  rack  and  pinion.  By  means  of  this  improvement,  it  was  possible  to  give 
four  contacts  with  the  napping  surface  during  the  passage  of  the  cloth 
through  the  machine.    Then  came  the  invention  of  the  wire  napper,  which 


162 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


enables  the  work  to  be  done  in  a  fraction  of  the  time  that  it  formerly  took, 
and  means  for  changing  the  speed  of  the  napping  rolls  so  that  the  action 
may  be  severe  on  goods  requiring  harsh  treatment,  or  gentle  enough  for 
treatment  of  the  finest  broadcloths. 

Even  to-day  there  are  many  finisners  who  consider  that  the  final  treat- 
ment of  the  goods  should  be  with  the  teasel  gig,  claiming  it  is  possible  to 
secure  results  that  are  impossible  of  attainment  with  the  wire  napper. 
The  final  laying  of  the  nap,  after  treatment  on  the  cropping  shear,  to  clip 
off  the  irregularities,  is  by  means  of  the  wet  gig  or  brush.  This  machine 
in  appearance  is  very  similar  to  the  ordinary  gig.  The  lower  roll,  on 
which  the  cloth  is  wound,  is  a  perforated  cylinder  with  both  steam  and 
water  connections,  so  that  either  steam  or  water  can  be  forced  through 
the  fabric  while  on  the  roll.    By  alternately 

Forcing  Steam  and  Cold  Water 
through  the  pieces  they  are  given  a  luster  similar  to  a  piece  of  silk.  The 
use  of  a  hydro  extractor  should  be  dispensed  with  after  the  nap  has  been 
well  laid  and  the  luster  developed  and  the  water  driven  out  by  means  of 
a  substitute  which  will  give  excellent  results.  To  avoid  disturbances  of 
the  nap,  which  results  from  the  use  of  the  ordinary  type  of  extractor,  the 
pieces  are  wound  on  a  12-inch  screen  covered  cylinder  which  may  be  re- 
volved at  a  high  rate  of  speed,  which  throws  out  the  water  by  centrifugal 
force,  but  leaves  the  goods  in  perfect  condition  for  the  dryer,  and  with- 
out a  wrinkle.  The  rolls  are  placed  in  a  rack  on  wheels  and  taken  to  the 
dryer.  When  dry  they  should  be  brushed,  pressed,  examined  and  rolled  up 
for  market. 


LAYOUT. 

3,168  ends;   15  reed,   3  in  dent   =    7©.4"  -f 

IV2"  for  listing  =  71.9"  over  all. 
86  picks. 

Dressed     1/30     white     worsted,  11 

spools,  48  ends   =  528 

*6 

♦Sections.  3,168 
Filling,  1/30  white  worsted...     1  I  1 

6  run  black  wool   1    I  1 


2 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,168  ends  1/30  white  =  3.02  oz.  + 

1%  take-up   =    3.24  oz. 

71.9X43 

43  picks  1/30  whita  =   =    2.94  oz. 

30X  560-5-16 
71.9X43 

43  picks  6  run  black  =   =    5.1b  oz. 

600   

Loom  weight    11.33  oz. 


COST. 


6.18  oz.  1/30  -1-  5%  waste  =  6.5  oz. 

@   82c.   per  lb  =  $  .3331 

5.15  oz.  6  run  +  15%  waste  =  6.06 

oz.    @   60c.   per  lb  =  .2475 


Cost  of  stock    $  .5806 

Manufacturing,   86  picks  =  .4000 


Net   mill   cost    $  .980^ 


12   harness,   straight  draw. 

H    ■□■□■nBDODBD  worsted 
g  >□  wool 

2  □■□«□■□■□■□■ 


CROSS-DYED  WORSTED  SUITINGS 

For  many  years  the  production  of  goods  composed  entirely  of  worsted 
in  colored  patterns  was  considered  impossible  except  by  means  of  using 
either  skein-dyed  or  stock-dyed  yarns.  With  the  improvements  in  the  art 
of  dyeing,  and  experiments  carried  on  by  manufacturers  and  chemists,  it 
was  found  that  by  using  part  of  the  yarns  skein-dyed  in  fast  colors  it  was 
possible  to  piece- dye  the  goods,  thus  obtaining  many  color  combinations 
without  increasing  the  number  of  skein-dyed  yarns  to  any  material  ex- 
itent.  As  time  went  on,  and  the  chemistry  of  dyeing  became  better  under- 
sStQQii,  tJie  possibility  of  so  treating  a  thread  after  dyeing  that  it  would  be 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


163 


immune  to  further  coloring  became  tlie  subject  of  no  little  study, 
with  the  result  that  the  process  commonly  termed  "resisting"  was  devel- 
oped c.nd  IS  Sc.sceptiu^e  oi  giving  extremely  satisfactory  results,  it  per- 
formed in  the  proper  manner.  By  a  long  series  of  experiments  it  was  deter- 
mined that  certain  coloring  materials  might  be  used  for  dyeing  the  yarns, 
which,  when  given  a  chemical  treatment,  would 

Not  Materially  Alter  in  Shade 

during  the  subsequent  piece- dyeing.  This  discovery  rendered  it  possible  to 
manufacture  a  great  variety  of  fabrics  on  the  two-loom  system  that  hith- 
erto had  required  a  weaver  for  each  loom,  and  also  appreciably  affected  the 
production,  as  it  is  well  known  that  yarns  in  the  grey  run  much  better  in 
the  loom  than  either  skein  or  slub-dyed  threads.  Imperfections  are  fewer, 
partly  for  the  reason  mentioned  and  also  from  the  fact  that  the  operative 
can  more  easily  see  and  remedy  them  on  white  goods.  An  additional  in- 
centive to  the  manufacturer  to  use  this  system  is  that  the  white  waste 
produced  is  more  readily  salable  and  at  materially  better  prices  than  can 
be  obtained  for  colored  wastes.  The 

Most  Important  Features 
connected  with  this  type  of  work  are:  1.  Selection  of  the  proper  dyestuffs 
for  the  resisted  thread.  2.  Careful  and  correct  treatment  during  the  re- 
sisting process.  '6.  belection  or  dyestuffs  for  tae  piece-dyeing  that  are 
least  liable  to  affect  the  resist.  If  these  details  are  given  the  attention  of 
the  a>er,  there  Vviil  be  no  tioubie  m  obtaining  extremely  satisiactory  re- 
sults. There  are  a  variety  of  dyestuffs  which  may  be  used  on  this  class  of 
work,  and  each  dyer  will  select  those  which  he  considers  suitable  for  his 
needs  from  the  offerings  of  the  various  concerns  from  whom  he  is  accus- 
tomed to  order  his  drugs.  The  dyeing  of  the  shades  on  yarns  to  be  re- 
sisted is  accomplished  in  the  customary  manner,  either  in  a  hand  tub  or 
a  suitable  machine.   The  yarn  should  be  rinsed,  then  extracted,  and  is 

Ready  for  the  Resist  Bath. 
To  obtain  the  best  results  the  chemicals  used  should  be  of  standard 
quality.  A  formula  used  in  some  of  our  large  mills  with  excellent  re- 
sults is  as  follows:  Dissolve  30  per  cent  tannic  acid  (F.R.C.P.)  in  water  and 
work  the  yarn  at  the  boil  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  allow  to  remain 
overnight  entirely  immersed  in  the  same  liquor,  then  drain,  but  do  not 
wash.  In  a  second  tub  prepare  a  bath  with  8  per  cent  antimony  salts  (10 
per  cent  if  the  hath  is  long,  that  is,  an  excess  of  water).  Work  the  yarn 
for  forty-five  minutes  with  the  bath  at  130  degrees  Fahrenheit,  then  drain 
off  and  prepare  a  new  bath  with  14  per  cent  tin  crystals  and  6  per  cent 
muriatic  acid  (HCl).  Work  for  forty-five  minutes  at  140  degrees  Fahren- 
heit, then  drain  off  without  washing  and  dry.  It  may  appear  to  some  dyers 
that  it  is  not  advisable  to  allow  the  yarns  to  remain  in  the  tannic  acid  bath 
so  long,  but  an  experience  of  several  years  has  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
superior  results  are  obtained  in  this  manner.  Whatever  the  system  used. 

It  is  of  the  Utmost  Importance 
that  the  same  routine  be  followed  with  every  batch  or  it  will  be  absolutely 
impossible  to  secure  uniform  results,  and  the  finished  goods  will  be  far 
from  saiisfactory.  The  yarn  when  dry  is  wound  on  six-inch  spools,  and 
may  then  be  transferred  to  jack  spools,  or  used  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
case  require.  Should  the  mill  have  an  equipment  for  worsted  spinning,  it 
would  be  well  to  spool  the  colored  yarns  on  a  spool  with  the  grey,  if  the 
pattern  does  not  require  the  use  of  a  full  spool  of  fancy  yarn. 

The  dressing  will  not  require  the  use  of  a  wet  frame,  as  the  yarns  are 
of  sufficient  strength  to  weave  without  difficulty  in  the  absence  of  any  size. 
In  the  weave  room  it  is  advisable  to  provide  each  weaver  with  two  waste 


164 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


boxes,  one  for  the  colored  waste  and  one  for  the  white,  as  this  will  obviate 
the  necessity  of  sorting  the  waste  after  it  is  collected.  When  woven,  the 
pieces  are  perched  and  measured,  every  imperfection  marked  with  a  chalk 
free  from  grease  or  any  impurity  which  will  be  difficult  to  remove  in  the 
scouring  process.  The  use  of  an  inferior  chalk  has  caused  no  little  trouble 
at  various  times,  particularly  if  the  goods  are  dyed  to  a  comparatively  light 
shade.  The  writer  has  seen  many  pieces  on  which  the  chalk  marks  were 
plainly  discernible  after  finishing,  due  to  some  impurity  in  the  crayon  or 
the  use  of  one  that  had  by  some  means  come  in  contact  with  oil.  The  pieces 
are  perched  a  second  time,  the  percher  standing  so  that  the  cloth  passes 
between  a  good  light  and  the  eye;  for  in  this  way  mispicks,  threads  out, 
etc.,  are  very  easily  discovered.  The  picks  should  also  be  counted  at  inter- 
vals of  a  few  yards,  to  make  sure  that  the  weavers  are  not  producing  cloth 
of  a  lower  texture  than  it  should  be,  and  incidentally  receiving  more  pay 
than  they  should  have  for  the  actual  texture  of  the  goods. 

Ihe  Duneis  must  carelully  remove  all  the  knocs  and  bus  of  foreign  mat- 
ter, taking  care  not  to  break  the  knots  too  short,  lest  the  ends  shrink  back 
during  subsequent  processes,  leaving  the  defect  known  as  **pin  holes,"  which 
will  need  to  be  repaired  by  the  sewers.  They  should  also  be  provided  with 
chalk  to  mark  all  imperfections  which  have  escaped  the  observation  of 
the  percher,  so  thai  the  sew  ers  may  devote  their  whole  time  to  repairing  dam- 
ages, as  it  is  costly  to  waste  time  in  looking  for  places  needing  the  atten- 
tion of  their  needle.  All  hard  twist  ends,  cable  threads  and  wrong  colors 
must  be  removed  and  replaced  with  perfect  yarns. 

Threads  Out  and  Mispicks 

must  be  sewn  in  and  slugs  reduced  or  replaced  by  a  new  thread,  floats  and 
other  imperfections  repaired,  so  that  the  finished  cloth  may  leave  the  mill 
as  nearly  perfect  as  is  humanly  possible.  The  finishing  room,  in  many  ways, 
is  the  most  important  in  the  whole  mill,  as  it  is  here  that  the  imperfect 
work  of  the  other  departments  is  developed  and  brought  to  light,  requiring 
no  little  skill  to  remedy  it,  which  is  many  times  an  impossibility.  Lack 
of  skill  in  the  treatment  of  fabrics  in  the  washer,  the  fulling  mill,  or  the 
crabbing  machine  will  so  affect  tliem  as  to  require  their  being  sold  as  sec- 
onds, while  if  properly  taken  care  of  in  the  finishing  room,  the  conscientious 
work  of  a  competent  man  will,  in  many  Instances,  add  several  cents  a  yard 
to  the  selling  price  of  the  fabric.  The  finishing  of  resist-dyed  fabrics  does 
not  differ  essentially  from  the  process  used  for  ordinary  piece-dyed  goods. 
When  ready  for  scouring,  the  pieces  are  placed  in  the  common  type  of  wash- 
er, through  which  they  pass  in  rope  form,  between  two  heavy  rock  maple 
rollers,  which  effectually  cleanses  them.  The  first  bath  is  made  up  with 
about  two  pails  of  soft  soap  to  the  piece,  and  sufficient  warm  water  to  sub- 
merge the  greater  part  of  the  cloth.  After  twenty  to  thirty  minutes'  treat- 
ment in  this  bath,  the  dirty  suds  are  run  off,  and  the  pieces  rinsed  for  one-half 
to  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  or  until  every  trace  of  soap  is  removed.  It  is 
very  essential  that  goods  for  piece-dyeing 

Should  Be  Absolutely  Clean 
and  free  from  soap,  or  the  dyeing  will  be  extremely  difficult.  In  fact,  the 
majority  of  instances  of  shady  goods  may  be  traced  directly  to  improper 
handling  in  the  wet  finishing.  From  the  washers  the  pieces  may  be  taken 
direct  to  the  crabbing  machine.  There  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion 
among  finishers  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  old-style  two-hole  York- 
shire crab  and  the  newer  type  of  continuous  crabbing  machine,  but  for  these 
fabrics,  the  latter  type  is  growing  in  favor  very  rapidly,  and  is  used  by 
several  of  the  larger  mills  that  specialize  on  cross-dyed  cloths.  The  advan- 
tages are  in  pan  the  increased  production  and  the  elimination  of  a  large 
part  of  the  labor  incident  to  the  use  of  the  old-style  machine.    From  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


166 


crabbing  machine  the  pieces  may  be  taken  direct  to  the  dyehouse  and  col- 
ored in  kettles  holding  from  four  to  sixteen  pieces. 

The  dyeing  will  require  the  use  of  special  colors  adapted  particularly  for 
this  class  of  work.  At  the  present  time,  the  necessary  drugs  may  be  pur- 
chased from  any  of  the  reliable  houses,  they  having  tested  out  a  series  of 
colors  that  will  not  affect  the  resisted  threads.  Before  using  a  new  lot  of 
resisted  yarn  for  warps,  a  small  sample  should  be  sewed  into  the  end  of 
a  piece  to  be  colored,  besides  a  sample  of  the  original.  In  this  way  it  is 
possible  to  determine  just  how  it  will  appear  when  used  in  the  goods.  It 
is  good  practice  to  require  the  dyer,  when  he  considers  the  shade  correct,  to 

Submit  a  Small  Sample  Before 
the  kettle  is  drawn  off.  This  may  be  dried  and  run  through  the  press,  then 
compared  with  a  reference  sample,  and  if  pronounced  satisfactory,  the  ket- 
tle is  drawn  off  and  the  piece  dried.  When  dry,  the  pieces  are  brushed  and 
sheared,  then  taken  to  the  fine  sewers,  who  will  repair  any  damages  that 
have  not  previously  been  attended  to.  Before  pressing,  give  a  run  on  the 
dewing  machine,  as  the  finish  is  made  more  permanent  by  such  treatment. 
A  final  inspection  after  pressing,  comparison  with  reference  sample  for 
shade,  and  the  goods  are  ready  to  be  rolled  up.  The  method  of  cost  figuring 
given  with  this  fabric  is  a  form  in  general  use  in  many  mills,  and  is  worthy 
of  adoption,  as  it  gives  even  better  results  than  the  method  of  figuring  by 
the  yard.  In  this  system  the  total  yarns  required  for  a  piece  are  figured, 
and  may  be  easily  verified  by  weighing  the  loom  beam  empty  than  when 
the  warp  is  beamed. 


LAYOUT. 

3.240   ends  12  V2    reed-4   per  dent=65"  +  li^" 

listings: 66  1/2"  over  all. 
46  picks  2/24. 

Dressed  64  yards,   woven   60  yards,  finished 
59  yds. 

2,808  ends  2/22  white 
108  ends  2/24  cable  twist  (white) 
324  ends  2/22  resist 


324X  64 
22  X  560-i-2 


46X  66.5X60 


=    3.42  lbs. 


24X  560- 


=  27.5  lbs. 


95  cents 


76  cents 


3.25 


20.90 


62.19 


$47.68 

3%  Waste  1.41 


3,240 

2,808  X  64 

22X  560H-2 
108X64 

24X  560-T-2 


COST. 
29.2  lbs.  @ 


=     2.07  lbs. 


75   cents  =$21.90 


Cost  of  stock  $49.09 

49.09-f-59      yds.      finished  =  $.832  per  yard. 
Labor  and  incidentals  .275 

Net  mill  cost  $1,107 
8  harness  straight  draw. 
4  harness  twill. 


79  cents 


1.63 


COTTON  W/.RP  SHIRTING  FUNNELS 

A  fabric  that  is  of  especial  interest  at  this  time  is  the  cotton  warp  flan- 
nel. The  new  tariff  rate,  which  went  into  effect  January  1,  may  make  a 
material  difference  in  the  prospects  of  mills  manufacturing  fabrics  of  this 
type,  as  it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  foreigner  is  an  expert  in  the  pro- 
duction of  woolen  goods  without  the  use  of  wool.  Fabrics  similar  to  that 
here  analyzed  were,  not  many  years  ago,  the  regular  production  of  several 
of  our  smaller  mills,  and,  indeed,  there  were  some  mills  of  considerable  size 
that  made  a  specialty  of  cotton  warp  cloths.  In  recent  years  the  market 
for  cotton  warp  men's  wear  has  grown  less  and  less  each  year,  with  the  re- 
sult that  at  the  present  time  there  are 

Comparatively  Few  Mills 
engaged  in  the  production  of  such  goods.   There  is  still  a  moderate  demand 
for  shirtings  of  this  character,  and  we  here  present  the  analysis  of  an  8%- 


tea  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ounce  cloth  of  this  description.  As  a  general  proposition,  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  these  fabrics  are  produced  by  specialists;  that  is  to  say,  the  plants  are 
fitted  with  machinery  particularly  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of  these 
cloths,  and  the  whole  plant  was  laid  out  and  arranged  with  this  in  mind. 
The  warps  of  single  cotton  are  invariably  purchased  on  the  loom  beam, 
ready  for  drawing-in  and  require  nothing  in  the  way  of  preparatory  machin- 
ery. The  filling  is  prepared  from  nothing  but  rag  stock,  involving  the  use 
of  absolutely  no  new  wool.  Mills  specializing  on  these  fabrics  are  equipped 
with  rag  pickers,  lumpers,  dusters,  etc.,  and  invariably  purchase  the  raw  ma- 
terials in  the  form  of  rags,  rather  than  in  the  prepared  state.  The  rags  are 
graded  as  to  quality  and  colors,  the  light  shades  laid  aside  for  making  the 
light- colored  goods  and  the  dark  clips  picked  for  filling  to  make  the  darker- 
colored  cloths.  After  sorting,  the  rags  are  laid  out  on  the  floor  of  the  mix- 
ing room,  a  layer  of  rags  possibly  four  to  six  inches  thick,  upon  which  an 
emulsion  of  oil  is  sprinkled  to  assist  in  the  picking  operation.  On  top  of 
this  another  layer  of  rags  which  receives  a  sprinkling  of  oil,  and  so  on,  until 
the  batch  is  complete.  In  many  mills  it  io  customary  to  shut  up  the  oiled 
rags,  and  allow  them  to  stand  for  a  few  days  to  secure  thorough  penetration 
of  the  whole  mass  by  the  oil,  when  they  are  laid  out  in  front  of  the  picker 
and  prepared  for  the  cards.  A  not  uncommon  arrangement  is  to  have  two 
or  three  pickers  discharge  into  a  common  gauze  room  for  the  stock  which 
is  used  in  quantity,  while  a  suitable  arrangement  is  provided  whereby  one 
or  more  may  discharge  into  a  separate  room  if  stocks  of  different  colors  or 
grades  are  to  be  run  simultaneously.  The  emulsion  used  on  the  rags  is  usu- 
ally prepared  by  mixing  equal  parts  of  oil  and  water,  -emulsified  with  a  mild 
alkali,  using  from  twelve  to  fifteen  quarts  to  each  hundred  pounds  of 
rags.  The  raw  stock  is  shredded  into  fibre  form  by  means  of  a  rag  picker, 
a  machine  consisting  essentially  of  a  travelling  feed  apron,  fluted  feed  rolls, 
a  main  cylinder,  and  a  funnel  at  the  back  to  conduct  the  shoddy  from  the 
machine.    The  cylinder,  the 

Most  Important  Feature 

of  the  machine,  is  enclosed  in  the  frame  work  and  is  built  in  various  sizes, 
a  very  common  size  being  18  inches  long  and  42  inches  in  diameter,  con- 
taining from  twelve  to  fourteen  thousand  iron  teeth.  The  usual  speed  is 
from  650  to  800  revolutions  per  minute. 

The  rags  are  fed  to  the  travelling  apron,  conveyed  to  the  feed  rolls,  and 
on  emerging  from  them  are  engaged  by  the  teeth  of  the  cylinder,  which 
tear  them  into  a  fibrous,  woolly  mass  which  is  discharged  into  the  gauze 
room.  Any  hard  lumps  or  pieces  of  cloth  not  thoroughly  torn  to  pieces  fall 
into  a  receptacle  suitably  provided,  and  are  again  placed  on  the  feed  apron 
for  a  further  operation.  The  upper  feed  roll  is  maintained  in  position  by 
springs,  which,  in  case  of  overloading,  permit  the  roll  to  rise,  delivering  the 
rags  to  the  cylinder  and  preventing  choking  of  the  machine.  Carding  and 
spinning  are  performed  on  the  same  type  of  machinery  used  in  the  produc- 
tion of  ordinary  woolen  yarns,  except  that  in  the  majority  of  instances  the 
first  breaker  card  is 

Provided  With  a  Metallic  Breast. 

This  consists  of  a  set  of  rolls  covered  with  steel-toothed  clothing,  which  re- 
duce the  bits  of  thread  to  fibre,  which  have  not  been  thoroughly  opened  by 
the  action  of  the  picker.  The  weaving  is  invariably  on  the  two-loom  system 
and  requires  no  description.  In  finishing  this  type  of  fabrics,  it  is  cus- 
tomary, in  the  case  of  the  heavier  weights,  to  give  them  a  thorough  treat- 
ment on  the  wire  napper  before  fulling,  and  to  full  in  the  grease.  The  light 
weights  similar  to  the  fabric  under  analysis  will  not  need  this  preliminary 
treatment,  but  may  be  taken  to  the  fulling  mills  immediately  after  burling. 

The  soap  used  must  be  full-bodied  and  will  require  a  considerable 
strengthening  with  alkali,  as  the  goods  contain  a  much  greater  proportion 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


167 


of  impurities  than  fabrics  composed  entirely  of  wool.  From  the  fulling  mills 
the  pieces  are  taken  direct  to  the  washing  machine  and  well  scoured  with 
warm  water.  It  will  probably  require  rinsing  and  a  second  soaping  to  thor- 
oughly cleanse  the  goods.  From  the  washer  the  pieces  may  be  taken  to  the 
dyehouse  without  extracting  and  colored  with  a  union  dye  which  will  color 
both  wool  and  cotton  a  uniform  shade,  at  the  same  time  covering  up  any 
specks  of  vegetable  matter  contained  in  the  stock.  When  colored,  the  goods 
are  cooled  off  and  rinsed  in  the  dye  kettle,  extracted  and  dried.  A  few  runs 
on  the  brush  will  put  them  in  condition  for  the  shear.  The  fly  blade  must 
not  be  set  too  low,  as  all  that  is  required  is  to  even  up  the  nap,  and  too  close 
shearing  will  destroy  the  desired  effect.  Unless  a  certain  amount  of  nap 
is  left  on  the  face  of  the  goods,  the  cotton  warp  will  be  too  apparent  and  the 
handle  be  materially  impaired.  A  light  brushing  is  required  before  press 
ing,  then  a  final  inspection  and  the  goods  are  ready  for  market. 


LAYOUT. 

J  240  ends:  reed  81/2—4   =  66". 
56  picky. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,240  ends  1/16  cotton  =  2.67  oz.  + 

10%   take-up   =    2.86  oz. 

36X66 

36  picks  21^  run  =   =  10.53  oz. 

225  •  

Loom  weight    13.39  oz. 


COST. 

2. 86  oz.  cotton  +   2%  waste  =  2.92 


oz.   @  22c.  per  lb  =  $  .0400 

10.53    oz.    filling    +    20%    waste  = 

13.16  oz.   @   81/20.  per  lb  =  .0699 


Cost  of  stock    $  .1099 

Manufacturing,   36  picks  =  .0800 


Net  mill  cost    $  .1899 


Selling  price   26    cents  net. 
4   harness,   straight  draw. 
Plain  weave. 


FANCY  NUB  CHEVIOT 

I  abrics  of  this  type  have  been  extremely  popular  for  use  in  children's 
suits  and  overcoats  for  some  years.  In  the  recent  past  they  have  been  used 
extensively  for  men's  raincoats  and  topcoats,  making  a  particularly  stylish 
garment,  one  that  retains  its  shape  and  is  of  but  little  weight.  Fabrics 
used  for  children's  wear  are  usually  made  from  relatively  fine  yarns,  with  a 
small  nub,  while  the  overcoating  cloths  are  made  from  coarse  yarns  dec- 
orated with  nubs  of  considerably  larger  size.  The  yarns  used  in  the  finer 
cloth  are  usually  made  from  a  medium  grade  of  wool  spun  to  about  three 
run.  The  nubs  are  made  from  a  short,  curly  wool,  usually  the  scoured  and 
carbonized  defective  Californias,  as  these  are  ideal  for  rolling  in  nubs.  A 
few  years  ago  it  was  customary  for  the  carder  who  was  about  to  make 
nubs,  or  knickerbocker  as  it  was  often  called,  to  screen  off  a  set  of  cards, 
so  that  no  one  might  have  an  opportunity  to  learn  the  method  employed 
in  making  the  nub.  At  that  time  it  was  a  process  understood  by  compar- 
atively few  carders,  and  it  is  probably  safe  to  say  that,  even  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  there  are  carders  in  some  of  our  mills  who  have  never  made  nubs 
or  have  never  seen  them  made. 

The  process  is  extrem.ely  simple,  requiring  nothing  in  the  way  of  ac- 
cessories  or  attachments  to   the  ordinary  first  breaker  card.  The 

Method  of  Procedure 
followed  by  most  carders  is  to  set  off  the  doffer  comb,  or  remove  it  entire- 
ly, raise  the  workers  by  placing  under  the  bearings  in  the  poppet  head  a 
piece  of  leather  cut  from  an  old  belt  and  set  off  the  doffer  possibly  an  eighth 
of  an  inch.  The  wool  is  placed  in  the  self-feed  as  for  ordinary  carding, 
and  the  m.achine  started.  Instead  of  the  carding  process  which  usually 
takes  place,  the  wool  is  rolled  into  small  pills  or  nubs,  which  fall  to  tUe 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Overcoat  Made  from  Fancy  Nub  Cheviot. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


169 


floor  at  the  delivery  end  of  the  card.  The  size  of  the  nub  is  changed  by 
the  varying  thicknesses  of  the  leathers  under  the  worker  bearings.  It  is 
common  practice  to  make  the  nubs  in  the  white  and  afterward  dye  them 
to  the  desired  color.  This  method  is  pursued  in  order  to  avoid  cleaning  the 
card  between  lots  of  various  colors.  The  finished  nubs  are  dyed  in  the 
ordinary  open  wool -kettle  with  a  false  bottom.  To  avoid  having  the  nubs 
pass  through  the  holes  in  the  false  bottom,  many  dyers  take  the  precaution 
of  covering  the  bottom  of  the  dye-kettle  with  burlap.  If  it  is  desired  to 
have  the  nubs  retain  their  form  to  the  fullest  extent  when  in  the  goods 
they  may  be  hardened  somewhat  by  fulling. 

To  accomplish  this  they  are  placed  in  a  bag,  wet  up  with  soap  solu 
tion  and  put  into  an  old  type 

Pusher  Mill 

or  into  falling  stocks.  The  modern  type  of  rotary  fulling  mill  is  not  as  well 
adapted  to  this  work,  although  it  may  be  used  by  sewing  up  a  tube  of  bur- 
lap or  other  fabric,  placing  the  nubs  inside  and  running  in  the  mill  for  a 
short  time  in  a  similar  way  to  a  piece  of  cloth.  Nubs  so  treated  will  not 
lose  their  shape  to  any  great  extent  in  subsequent  operations. 

There  are  different  methods  in  vogue  of  putting  the  nubs  into  the  yarn, 
but  the  one  in  m.ost  common  use,  probably,  is  to  mix  them  with  the  stock 
at  the  picker.  This  method  has  been  found  to  give  excellent  results  in  mill 
practice,  while  the  m.ethod,  used  in  few  instances,  of  introducing  them  on 
the  finisher  card  is  apt  to  give  rather  uneven  results.  The  wools  used  for 
the  manufacture  of  such  fabrics  should  be  of  good  length,  well  scoured, 
and  those  to  be  used  in  the  white  should  preferably  be  bleached,  though  if  a 
careful  selection  is  made  in  the  sorting  room,  perfect  results  may  be  ob- 
tained without  the  bleaching  process.  It  is  essential  that  the  stock  should 
be  thoroughly  opened  and  mixed  in  the  picker  room,  as  it  is  obvious  that 
comparatively  little  carding  can  be  done  on  such  yarns  if  the  nubs  are  to 
keep  their  shape  and  size.  The  workers  must  be  set  well  off  from  the  cyl- 
inder on  the  first  and  second  breakers,  those  on  the  finisher  may  be  some- 
what closer,  but  not  sufficient  to  destroy  the  desired  effect. 

In  spinning,  these  yarns 

Do   Not  Require   Special  Treatment. 

The  roving  for  the  finer  counts  should  be  made  about  half  draft,  while 
that  for  the  heavier  counts  will  need  to  be  relatively  finer  from  the  card. 
The  spooling  should  be  carefully  attended  to,  knots  tied  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  will  not  slip  in  dressing  and  weaving,  spools  be  free  from  holes 
and  slack  ends.  With  yarn  properly  spooled,  the  dressing  room  should 
show  an  extremely  high  percentage  of  eflaciency,  as  the  warps  may  be 
dressed  without  size  and  the  reel  operated  at  a  relatively  high  speed. 

The  production  per  loom  should  be  well  over  80  per  cent  of  the  pos- 
sible output  if  the  warp  yarns  are  well  made  with  filling  properly  spun. 
One  great  cause  of  low  weave  room  production  is  the  lack  of  care  in  the 
spinning  room  in  making  the  filling.  Frequently  the  yarns  are  not  wound 
with  sufficient  weight  on  the  counter  faller  to  make  a  bobbin  that  will  not 
knock  off  in  the  shuttle,  causing  a  loss  of  time  for  the  weaver  and  an  un- 
due amaount  of  waste.  The  fixer  can  do  much  toward  avoiding  this  trouble 
by  proper  adjustment  of  the  power  and  the  binder  springs.  A  shuttle  check, 
properly  adjusted,  will  also  assist  materially  in  reducing  the  waste  from 
this  cause.  It  may  be  necessary  to  inform  the  burlers  that  the  '^specks" 
are  intended  to  remain  in  the  fabric,  as  an  instance,  well  authenticated,  is 
told  of  a  new  girl  in  the  burling  room  working  faithfully  to  remove  all 
the  colored  nubs.  There  should  be  practically  no  sewing  required  on  fab- 
rics of  this  type,  and  an  inspection  after  burling  may  enable  the  finisher 
to  send  many  pieces  direct  from  the  burling  room  to  the  fulling  mills. 


170 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  greater  part  of  these  fabrics  are  fulled  but  little,  probably  not 
over  an  hour  at  the  most.  The  soaps  used  should  be  of  good  quality  and 
of  sufficient  strength  to  start  the  grease  and  dirt  freely  in  the  mills.  Full 
to  56  inches,  with  no  endwise  shrinkage,  and  scour  as  soon  as  possible 
after  removing  from  the  fulling  mills.  If  the  soap  used  in  fulling  was  of 
the 

Correct  Consistency 

and  strength  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  add  a  further  quantity  in  the 
washer.  Run  in  warm  water  for  20  or  30  minutes,  then  rinse  thoroughly 
before  removing  them  for  extracting.  A  very  common  mistake  is  made 
at  this  point  in  the  finishing  of  nearly  all  woolen  and  worsted  fabrics,  that 
is,  there  is  too  great  anxiety  to  get  them  dried  in  the  shortest  possible 
time,  the  result  being  that  they  are  extracted  more  than  they  should  be, 
going  to  the  dryer  without  sufficient  moisture  to  get  the  full  effect  of  the 
drying  operation,  and  dried  too  rapidly  for  the  best  results  by  means  of  an 
excessive  temperature.  The  superior  ''feel"  of  a  fabric  dried  in  the  open 
air  is  probably  familiar  to  all  of  the  older  generation  of  manufacturers. 
This  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  any  greater  virtue  of  the  outdoor  air,  but 
simply  to  the  fact  that  the  goods  are  dried  naturally,  slowly  and  without 
excessive  heat.  It  would  be  policy  to  operate  the  dryer  overtimxe,  or  to  In 
crease  its  size  rather  than  to  secure  greater  capacity  by  raising  the  tem- 
perature in  the  drying  chamber.  When  dry,  the  pieces  are  given  a  light 
run  on  the  shear  to  remove  the  long  hairs.  Give  a  run  on  the  dewing 
machine,  press  with  a  little  steam  on  the  face  as  they  emerge  from  the  cyl- 
inder. Roll  up  tightly  and  do  not  perch  until  next  day. 

Used  for  Raincoatings. 
Many  of  these  fabrics  are  made  up  into  raincoats,  and  are  waterproof- 
ed either  by  the  manufacturer  or  buyer.  The  process  of  waterproofing  is 
comparatively  simple,  and  may  be  carried  on  at  slight  expense  by  the  mill 
if  it  is  so  desired.  The  process  consists  of  impregnating  the  fabrics  with 
a  mixture  that  repels  the  moisture.  The  methods  in  use  in  our  mills  may 
be  classified  as  wet  and  dry.  In  the  wet  method,  the  proofing  mixture  is 
usually  applied  in  the  washer  after  the  goods  have  been  well  rinsed,  and 
consists  of  a  solution  of  lead  acetate  and  other  chemicals.  The  dry  method 
is  accomplished  by  treating  the  fabric  with  a  preparation  of  paraffin  wax 
just  prior  to  its  entering  the  press,  where  the  heat  and  pressure  effect  the 
thorough  permeation  of  the  fibre  with  the  proofing  mixture.  A  still  later 
method  consists  of  dissolving  the  wax  and  other  materials  in  benzine  and 
running  the  fabric  through  this  bath,  afterward  recovering  the  benzine. 

LAYOUT.  CALCULATIONS. 

2,160  ends;   1  Vz   reed,  4  per  dent  =  70"   -f       2,160  ends  3  run  =  7.2  oz.   +  10% 

IV2"  for  listing  =  7IV2"  over  all.                         take-up  =  8.00  oz. 

.^0   mVlc<?  30X71.5 

P*^^^-                                                                  30  picks  3  run  =   ■  =  7.15  oz. 


STOCK. 


300 


85%  med.  wool  @  40c  =  $  .340  Loom  weight    15.15  oz. 

15%  nubs  @  50c  =      .075       Finished  weight  13-13%  oz. 

$  .415  COST. 
$.415  =  16-7-   $.0259,  cost  an  ounce.  15.15  oz.    -f-   15%  waste  =  17.82  oz. 

@   $  .0259   =  $  .4616 

Manufacturing,   30  picks   =  .2500 

$  .7116 


CHECKED  CHINCHILLA 

This  is  a  fabric  especially  adapted  for  the  manufacture  of  ladies'  and 
misses'  short  coats,  and  is  produced  in  lighter  weights  than  the  chinchillas 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


171 


intended  for  men's  wear.  They  are  made  in  a  variety  of  colors  and  different 
sizes  of  checks,  one  of  the  most  popular  styles  being  a  white  ground  checked 
v\ith  light  green,  the  pattern  meisuring  three-quarters  by  one  inch.  The 
production  of  fabrics  of  this  character  in  white  grounds  should  not  be  under- 
taken by  any  mill  unless  they  have  preparatory  departments  that  are  en- 
tirely distinct  and  separate  from  each  other.  The  operation  of  a  set  of 
cards  on 

Colored  Stock  in  the  Same 

room  with  those  running  white  stock  cannot  be  successfully  carried  on,  as 
the  fly  from  the  colored  work  will  spoil  the  white  or  vice  versa. 

Screening  off  a  section  of  the  room  with  burlap  or  other  material  will 
essentially  assist  in  keeping  the  lots  separate,  but  if  the  best  results  are  to 
be  obtained,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  a  separate  picker  and  card 
room  for  the  white  work.  The  extra  labor  involved  in  an  attempt  to  keep 
the  white  free  from  specks  and  fibres  of  colored  stock  while  making  other 
goods  and  the  extreme  probability  of  making  seconds  would  deter  many 
mills  from  trying  to  make  white  cloths.  That  greater  profits  are  to  be 
made  on  such  fabrics  is  true,  but  there  are  many  features  connected  with 


Checked  Chinchilla. 

their  production  that  practically  eliminate  them  from  the  lines  of  a  great 
many  of  our  mills  that  otherwise  might  be  able  to  manufacture  them 
successfully.    In  some  cases  the 

Natural  Conditions 

will  not  allow  of  their  production,  the  water  may  not  be  sufficiently  pure, 
or  the  proximity  of  other  manufacturing  establishments  may  so  fill  the  air 
with  smoke  and  other  impurities  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  the  fabrics 
clean  while  in  process. 

The  stock  used  may  be  a  straight  wool  or  a  blend  of  wool  and  noil,  the 
latter  producing  a  fabric  that  will  give  excellent  service  and  prove  satis- 
factory to  the  wearer.  Care  in  selection  of  the  stock  is  essential,  as  the 
slightest  discoloration  in  the  wool  will  injure  the  salability  of  the  goods. 
If  noils  are  used  they  must  be  thoroughly  carbonized  and  freed  from  im- 
purities of  every  kind  before  they  are  mixed  with  the  wool. 

The  stock  used  for  the  sample  here  described  is  a  three-eighths  territory 
blended  with  an  equivalent  grade  of  noil  for  both  warp  and  filling.  The 
lots  are  chosen  particularly  for  their  color  and  freedom  from  yellow  tips. 


172 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  sorting  is  not  as  important  an  item  on  these  fabrics  as  in  the  case  of 
fine  cloths,  but  should  not  be  slighted. 

Scouring  Irr.portant. 
The  scouring  must  be  done  with  great  care,  as  serious  injury  may  be  done 
the  stock  in  this  process,  not  only  detracting  from  the  spinning  qualities 
of  the  wool  but  materially  affecting  the  color.  In  order  to  obtain  the  best 
possible  results  the  scourer  must  use  only  the  best  of  materials  for  cleans- 
ing the  wool.  The  soap  should  be  tested  for  impurities  of  various  kinds  and 
for  the  presence  of  free  caustic  alkali.  The  presence  of  the  latter  is  really 
a  more  serious  affair  than  many  of  the  other  impurities,  as  most  of  them 
do  no  particular  harm,  aside  from  increasing  the  expense,  while  the  free 
caustic  has  an  extremely  injurious  effect  on  the  structure  of  the  wool 
fibre  itself,  and  if  present  in  sufficient  quantity  will  entirely  destroy  it. 
Certain  soaps  also  have  a  tendency  to  give  the  wool  a  slightly  yellow  tinge 
and  should  be  carefully  avoided,  as  it  is  desired  to  bring  out  the  finished 
fabrics  a  pure  snow  white.  Another  factor,  often  lost  sight  of,  is  the  fact 
that  excessive  heat  in  the  drying 

Injures  the  Working  Qualities 
of  the  wool  and  tends  to  give  it  a  more  or  less  pronounced  yellow  tinge.  To 
obviate  this,  the  cold-air  m^ethod  of  drying  should  be  employed.  By  this  sys- 
tem the  moisture  is  removed  from  the  wool  without  the  assistance  of  arti- 
ficial heat.  The  necessary  appliances  are  a  series  of  drying  racks  with  en- 
closed bottoms.  The  wool  to  be  dried  is  spread  on  the  screens  and  air  at  the 
ordinary  temperature  is  either  drawn  down  through  the  wool  by  exhaust 
fans  connected  to  the  enclosed  space  under  the  screen,  or  preferably,  the 
air  is  forced  up  through  the  wool.  The  latter  method  will  give  more  rapid 
results,  and  leave  the  wool  in  somewhat  better  condition  for  subsequent 
operations,  as  the  passage  of  the  air  in  an  upward  direction  tends  to  open 
the  wool  and  make  it  more  lofty. 

To  secure  absolutely  even  results  at  all  times,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
bleach  the  wool,  as  even  with  the  greatest  care  it  may  be  impossible  to  se- 
cure wools  of  even  color  at  all  times.  The  bleaching  process  in  common  use 
is  not  especially  diflScult,  nor  does  it  require  an  installation  of  expensive 
equipment.  Of  the  ordinary  methods,  either  the 

Peroxide  or  Bisulphite 

bleach  may  be  carried  on  in  an  open  dye-kettle,  the  former  bleaching  agent 
being  one  used  in  many  mills  with  very  satisfactory  results.  It  is  essential 
that  the  wool  be  perfectly  clean  and  free  from  all  fatty  matter  before  treat- 
ment. The  bath  for  300  pounds  of  wool  is  prepared  with:  400  gallons  hot 
water,  10%  pounds  sulphuric  acid,  9  pounds  ammonium  phosphate  and  9^ 
pounds  sodium  peroxide.  A  very  important  factor  of  success  in  the  use  of 
this  method  is  the  degree  of  alkalinity  of  the  bath.  In  the  majority  of  in- 
stances it  will  be  found  necessary  to  vary  the  bath  to  suit  the  stock  to  be 
bleached.  Should  the  bath  appear  too  strongly  alkaline,  a  small  quantity  of 
phosphoric  acid  may  be  used  to  correct  it,  using  litmus  paper  as  an  indi- 
cator. The  proper  alkaline  condition  is  indicated  by  the  bath  showing  a 
slight  bluish  tinge.  Should  the  acidity  of  the  wool  neutralize 
the  alkali,  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  am- 
monia will  restore  the  correct  condition.  The  bath  should  be  allowed 
to  stand  for  20  minutes  before  using,  and  the  foam  which  forms  on  the  sur- 
face must  be  skimmed  off  before  entering  the  stock. 

This  method  requires  more  care  and  attention  than  the  use  of  bisul- 
phite, for  which  a  formula  was  published  in  another  article.  To  retain  the 
purity  of  color  of  the  bleached  stock  will  require  the  utmost  care  in  every 
department.  The  picker  must  be  free  from  every  trace  of  colored  fibres,  and 
if  a  pneumatic  conveyor  system  is  used  it  should  be  thoroughly  inspected 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


173 


and  cleaned  before  it  is  used  for  the  white  wool.  Have  the  floor  of  the  picker 
house  and  the  card  room  bins  immaculate  before  starting  the  lot.  Mix  well, 
oil  and  give  two  runs  through  the  mixing  picker,  then  card  carefully,  mak- 
ing the  roving  slightly  over  half  draft.  This  should  insure  work  that  will 
run  well  on  the  mules  and  produce  a  strong,  even  thread.  Have  the  warp 
yarns  well  spooled,  no  holes,  loose  ends  or  long  knots,  and  the  dressing  will 
proceed  with  no  difficulty  whatever.  In  preparing  the  looms  for  white  warps 
the  fixers  should  use  due  caution  to 

Prevent  Any  Oil  Dropping 

from  the  various  moving  parts  to  the  warp  or  on  the  woven  goods,  and  it 
may  be  necessary  to  caution  the  weavers  about  wiping  the  shuttle  on  the 
fabric.  For  this  purpose  it  is  well  to  wind  a  fairly  wide  heading  around  the 
breast  beam  near  the  shuttle  changing  end,  on  which  the  weaver  may  rub 
the  shuttles  to  remove  any  dirt  or  oil  that  has  collected.  Burling  should  be 
carefully  performed  on  every  piece,  and  an  inspection  after  burling  may 
permit  of  many  pieces  going  to  the  fulling  mills  without  passing  through 
the  hands  of  the  sewers. 

The  fulling  of  white  goods  must  not  be  attempted  with  an  inferior  soap, 
nor  one  that  is  built  up  with  a  harsh  alkali  or  an  injury  to  the  color  may 


Kinyon  Bros.  Whipping  iVIachine. 

result.  The  soap  should  be  of  high  grade,  full  bodied,  built  up  with  a  mild 
alkali  and  of  sufficient  strength  to  saponify  and  hold  in  suspension  through 
the  fulling  and  scouring  all  the  dirt  and  oil  contained  by  the  goods.  Full  to 
57  inches,  scour  with  warm  water  for  20  to  30  minutes,  then  rinse  thorough- 
ly, extract  and  place  on  the  dryer.  The  napping  necessary  to  cut  the  loops 
formed  in  weaving,  which  are  later  to  be  rubbed  into  the  nubs  or  spirals. 


174 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


giving  the  characteristic  appearance  to  the  fabric,  should  be  performed  with 
the  fabric  damp,  but  not  wet.  In  this  condition  the  nap  may  be  raised 
without  undue  waste  of  material.  The  amount  of  gigging  required  is  depend- 
ent to  a  certain  extent  on  the  type  of  finish  required,  that  is,  the  size  of  nub 
it  is  desired  to  form,  though  this  is  also  governed  considerably  by  the  throw 
of  the  cams  on  the  upright  shaft  of  the  chinchilla  machine  and  the  shearing. 
Many  chinchillas  are  so  constructed  as  to  obviate  entirely  the  necessity  for 
fulling,  particularly  those  intended  for  ladies'  wear,  as  fulling  tends  to  pro- 
duce a  more  boardy  fabric  than  is  desirable  for  such  use.  In  this  case  the 
soap  should  not  be  of  such  heavy  body  as  ordinary  fulling  soaps,  but  must 
be  heavier  than  soaps  usually  made  for  scouring.  A  very  satisfactory  com 


Kinyon  Bros.  Chinchilla  Machine. 

pound  for  this  purpose  may  be  made  with  two  ounces  of  pure  neutral  palm 
oil  soap  and  three  ounces  of  alkali  per  gallon  of  water.  The 

Heavier  the  Soap  Used 

the  more  time  is  required  for  removing  it,  and  on  these  goo  ,.s,  as  on  all  oth- 
ers, it  is  essential  that  every  trace  of  soap  be  washed  out.  A  good  soap  and 
plenty  of  warm  water  will  accomplish  the  desired  result.  After  washing,  the 
goods  are  extracted  and  taken  to  the  gig. 

This  is,  perhaps,  the  most  important  operation  of  the  whole  finishing 
process,  as  on  the  production  of  a  full,  heavy  nap,  well  worked  up  from  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


176 


bottom  so  as  to  be  free  from  streaks  and  cover  the  threads  completely,  de- 
pends the  success  of  the  subsequent  onerations.  The  use  of  the  old  fashion- 
ed up-and-down  gig  for  this  work  is  much  to  be  preferred,  as  there  is  less 
danger  of  injury  to  the  fabric.  When  the  napping  is  about  completed,  the 
pieces  are  taken  off  and  placed  on  the  cropping  shear.  The  omission  of  this 
operation  will  result  in  a  lack  of  evenness  which  cannot  be  remedied  in  any 
other  process. 

The  shear  should  be  fitted  with  a  wire  raising  brush  in  order  to  ef- 
fectively perform  its  functions,  and  the  laying  brush  should  be  removed. 
The  shear  should  be  in  Al  condition,  so  that  one  run  will  suffice  to  cut  the 
nap  evenly,  all  that  is  necessary  being  to 

Square  the  Nap, 

leaving  as  long  as  the  type  of  finish  demands.  The  goods  are  then  again 
placed  on  the  gig  and  the  napping  completed.  In  order  to  put  the  nap  in  the 
best  possible  condition  for  further  processes  the  goods  are  run  over  a  whip- 
ping machine  before  drying.  The  machine  consists  of  a  framework  to 
which  are  attached  13  slender  rods  of  tough  wood,  actuated  by  levers  and 
cams.  The  fabric  to  be  treated  passes  over  the  framework,  face  down,  the 
rods  beating  cn  the  back  of  the  moving  cloth,  bringing  the  nap  into  an  erect 
position.  The  whipping  machine  should  be  so  arranged  that  the  goods  im- 
mediately go  to  the  dryer  with  no  handling  or  folding.  A  special  type  of 
dryer  is  used  in  which  the  goods  come  in  contact  with  anything  but  the  sup- 
porting pins  at  the  sides.  When  dry,  the  goods  are  again  sheared,  taking 
into  consideration  the  size  of  ''nub"  desired.  If  a  large  nub  is  intended,  the 
nap  must  be  left  long,  while  if  a  close,  fine  nub  is  required  the  cloth  must 
be  sheared  closer.  Uniform  napping  and  even  shearing  are  essential  if  the 
best  results  are  to  be  obtained. 

The  nubs  are  formed  by  the  chinchilla  or  ''Whitney"  machine.  The  bed 
plate  is  rigidly  fastened  to  the  framework  of  the  machine  about  three  feet 
from  the  floor,  is  of  hard  wood  and  covered  with  a  good  grade  of  Brussels 
carpet,  firmly  glued  on.  On  each  side  of  the  plate  is  a  roll  covered  with 
card  clothing,  serving  to  draw  the  cloth  across  the  bed  plate.  Above  the 
bed  is  another  plate  of  similar  shape  and  size,  but  made  of  cast-iron  and 
covered  with  a  solid  plate  of  rubber  cemented  on  the  under  side.  This  is 
termed  the  "follower,"  and  may  be  raised  or  lowered  by  suitable  chains  and 
handle.  The  follower  is  driven  by  an  upright  shaft  at  each  end,  provided  with 
cams  to  produce  the  various  motions  required  for  different  types  of  finish. 
The  machines  are  capable  of 

Five  Distinct  IViotions, 

each  producing  its  special  effect  on  the  goods.  The  operation  of  the  machine 
is  comparatively  simple.  The  piece  is  put  on  the  bed,  attached  to  both  de- 
livery and  take-up  rolls,  the  follower  lowered  so  as  to  touch  the  nap,  the 
machine  started  and  the  nub  begins  to  form  immediately.  On  the  ordinary 
grade  of  chinchillas,  one  run  through  the  machine  is  all  that  is  required,  the 
backs  are  brushed  and  the  piece  is  ready  for  the  final  inspection.  On  the 
finer  grades  the  pieces  are  sheared  after  the  first  run,  and  the  nubs  cropped 
to  the  desired  size.  During  this  operation  the  raising  brush  must  not  be 
allowed  to  come  in  contact  with  the  piece.  A  second  run  will  give  a  fine, 
close  nub,  frequently  called  a  "pin  head."  Brush  on  the  back,  examine  care- 
fully to  nee  th^t  fie  nubs  are  even,  measure,  roll  up  and  pack. 


176 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


LAYOUT. 

1.560  ends;    11   reed,   2  per  dent   =   71"  + 

IVa"  for  listing  =  721/2"  over  all. 
4  8  picks. 

STOCK  MIXTURE. 

60%  wool  @  44c  =  $  .264 

40%   noil    @    36c  =  .144 

$  .408 

16  oz.   =   $.0205,  cost  an  ounce. 


$.408    ^    16   oz.  = 

Dressed : 

2 1^  run  green. 
2       run  white. 


.12 


♦Sections. 


WEAVE. 

CD  □ 

□□□ 

■  ■"■■■'^■■B 

□□□  iLDDBBB 

□□■■BGuuan 

■□■■■□■■■J 

□□  ]□[!□■■■□ 

□□□■■■□□□a- 

■■□■■■□■■a 

□□□ 

-■ 

■□■■■□■BHD 

□□□  J 

L 

□□□■■■□□□a 

■□■■□□■■uD 


I  2 
16     I  28 
I  


21/2  run. 
1 14  run. 
Green. 
Green. 


30 
13 


390 
♦4 


1.560 


Filling: 

2 1/2  run  green.  H.  T. ..  2  I 

IVi   run  white   1  I 

2V2    run  white  1  j 

23X 

CALCULATIONS. 
1,560    ends    2 1/2    run  6.24    oz.  + 

10%  take-up   =  6 

24  X  72.5 

24  pks.  21/2  run    

250 
24  X  72.5 

24  pks.  114  run  =     :  =  13.92  oz. 

125   

27.81  oz, 

COST. 

27.81  oz.  +  15%  waste   =  32, 

32.72  oz    @   2.05c  =  $ 

Manufacturing,   48   picks  = 

Net  mill  cost   $  .9948 


2 
23 
23 


1.93  oz 
1.96  oz. 


72  oz. 
.6708 
.3240 


DRAW. 


PLAID  BACK  LLAMA  OVERCOATING 

This  fabric  derives  its  name  from  the  animal  which  produces  the  par- 
ticularly soft  stock  of  which  the  face  of  the  cloth  is  composed.  The  Llama, 
the  Alpaca  and  the  Guanaco  are  all  indigenous  to  the  mountainous  regions 
of  South  America,  the  first  two  being  species  of  the  same  family  and  pro- 
ducing quite  similar  fibres.  The  production  of  this  stock  is  limited  in  quan- 
tity, and  is  used  only  in  the  manufacture  of  special  fabrics,  in  which  soft- 
ness  and  luster  are  combined. 

The  fabric  analyzed  is  finished  with  considerable  nap,  which,  instead 
of  being  laid  perfectly  straight  as  in  a  zibeline  or  kersey,  has  a  very  per- 
ceptible ripple  effect,  the  result  of  treatment  on  a  special  machine  during  the 
process  of  finishing.  One  of  the  chief  reasons  for  the  lack  of  success  in  op- 
erating our  carded  woolen  mills  is  the  aversion  of  many  of  our  manufac 
turers  to 

Introduce  New  Machinery 

or  new  processes,  particularly  in  the  finishing  room.  They  seem  perfectly 
satisfied  to  follow  the  procedure  mapped  out  by  their  predecessors,  using 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


17 


in  many  instances  machinery  that  should  long  since  have  been  relegated  to 
the  scrap  heap.  The  great  wonder  is  that  they  have  been  able  to  survive 
until  the  present,  the  possibilities  of  making  a  profit  having  been  eliminat- 
ed long  ago.  The  progressive  mill  owner  is  ever  on  the  alert  to  gain  a 
knowledge  of  newer  and  more  efficient  methods  of  performing  the  various 
operations  incident  to  the  conversion  of  raw  materials  into  finished  mer- 
chandise, and  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  by 

Changing  the  Character 
of  his  product  to  conform  to  the  ever  changing  demands  of  fashion.  The 
idea  that  any  machine  which  can  be  operated  without  danger  of  falling  to 
pieces  is  good  enough  for  the  manufacture  of  woolens  has  apparently  gov- 
erned the  actions  of  many  managers,  with  the  inevitable  result  that  the 
quantity  and  quality  of  production  has  steadily  been  reduced  until  it  has 
reached  the  place  where  a  relatively  large  expense  for  replacement  of  worn 
out  machinery  must  be  incurred  in  a  short  space  of  time  that  normally 
should  have  been  distributed  over  a  series  of  years. 

It  is  unfortunately  true  that  most  of  the  ills  which  have  befallen  the 
carded  woolen  industry  may  rightfully  be  attributed  to  the  manufacturers 
themselves  rather  than  to  influences  outside  of  the  manufacturing  end.  The 
truth  of  this  statement  is  borne  out  by  a  few  notable  exceptions  which  am- 
ply disprove  the  oft  repeated  remark  of  the  incompetent  that  there  is  "no 
money  in  woolen  manufacturing." 

Profits  Dependent  on  Managen'.ent. 

The  returns  from  any  form  of  manufacturing  enterprise  are  more  large- 
ly dependent  upon  the  economical  and  efficient  management  of  the  plant 
itself  than  upon  outside  conditions,  though  there  are  exceptional  periods 
when  the  highest  type  of  management  is  unable  to  combat  successfully  a 
combination  of  conditions  which-  tend  to  reduce  profits  to  the  vanishing 
point  or  even  create  a  manufacturing  loss.  At  such  times  the  plant  whose 
equipment  and  organization  is  thoroughly  up-to-date  in  every  particular 
is  able  to  weather  the  storm  with  much  less  impairment  of  resources  than 
its  neighbor,  who  even  in  normal  seasons  has  a  struggle  to  show  a  balance 
on  the  right  side  of  the  profit  and  loss  account. 

The  foregoing  does  not  imply  that  in  all  cases  the  purchase  of  second- 
hand machinery  is  to  be  deprecated,  as  in  many  instances  it  is  possible  to 
secure  from  the  second  dealers  machinery  that  is  practically  as  good  as 
new,  or  at  least  will 

Answer  the  Purpose 

fully  as  well.  It  must  be  understood,  however,  that  if  secondhand  equip- 
ment is  bought,  it  should  be  thoroughly  inspected  by  an  expert,  and  not 
taken  merely  on  the  dealer's  statem.ent  as  to  its  condition.  A  very  common 
mistake  in  estimating  the  cost  of  fabrics  is  the  making  of  too  small  an  al- 
lowance for  depreciation.  This  is  frequently  the  case  with  a  concern  which 
has  secured  an  old  mill  at  a  comparatively  low  price.  It  is  customary  to 
allow  five  per  cent  for  depreciation,  but  this  item  must  be  materially  in- 
creased if  actual  results  are  to  be  obtained,  as  five  per  cent  on  the  pur- 
chase price  will  not  form  a  reserve  of  sufficient  size  to  replace  the  machin- 
ery when  its  days  of  efficient  service  are  over.  In  no  branch  of  the  indus- 
try is  the  necessity  for  modern  equipment  and  manufacturing  ability  mon 
strongly  apparent  than  in  the  production  of  novelties,  and  in  no  depart 
ment  of  the  textile  field  is  there  greater  opportunity  for  the  earning  of  a 
very  satisfactory  profit.  To  obtain  the  latter  result  it  is  essential  that  th( 
organization  at  the  mill  should  be  competent  to  produce  the  fabrics,  and 

More  Important  Still, 
that  the  selling  organization,  and  particularly  the  styler,  should  be  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  style  tendencies,  and  have  the  ability  to  direct  the 


178 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


efforts  of  the  designer  toward  the  development  of  desirable  fabrics,  styles 
and  colorings.  The  two  organizations  are  interdependent  and  must  co-op- 
erate if  success  is  to  be  the  reward  of  their  efforts. 

To  properly  construct  a  fabric  such  as  is  here  described  the  stocks  used 
for  the  "shell"  or  face  and  the  back  must  possess  similar  felting  properties, 
as  otherwise  the  two  cloths  will  not  work  together  in  the  fulling  mills,  and 
a  cockly,  unsatisfactory  fabric  will  result.  For  this  cloth  the  face  filling 
mixture  is  made  up  from  60  per  cent  of  a  three-eighths  territory  clothing 
wool  and  40  per  cent  of  Alpaca  noil,  giving  a  softness  to  the  fabric  that  is 
its  chief  characteristic.  The  face  and  back  warp  and  back  filling  are  made 
from  a  mixture  containing  70  per  cent  of  three-eighths  wool  and  30  per  cent 
of  fine  shoddy.  The  wool  must  be  well  sorted  and  carefully  scoured,  the  lat- 
ter process  being  carried  on  with  soaps  and  alkalis  that  will  in  nowise 

Detract  from  the  Strength 

or  working  qualities  of  the  fibre.  Another  very  important  feature  of  the 
scouring  is  the  nature  of  the  water  used.  It  is  a  fact  probably  known  to 
most,  if  not  all,  who  are  familiar  with  the  handling  of  wool,  that  it  is  prac- 
tically impossible  to  satisfactorily  cleanse  the  fibre  if  hard  water  is  used  in 
the  scouring  bath.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  mineral  salts  contained 
in  the  water  are  disintegrated  and  uniting  with  the  fatty  matter  in  the 
soap,  which  is  also  decomposed,  form  an  insoluble  soap  which  is  deposited 
on  the  wool  in  the  form  of  a  sticky,  pasty  substance,  whose  subsequent  re- 
moval is  attended  with  no  little  difficulty.  Its  entire  removal  is  necessary, 
however,  or  future  operations  are  rendered  almost,  if  not  quite,  impossible. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  dyeing,  level  shades  being  an  utter  impossibil- 
ity on  wools  in  this  condition.  If  a  supply  of  soft  water  is  not  obtainable  it 
becomes  necessary  to  soften  the  available  supply  by  mechanical  or  chemical 
means.  The  cheapest 

Method  of  Softening  Water 

for  wool  scouring  is  to  precipitate  the  mineral  compounds  with  caustic  soda. 
To  each  1,000  gallons  of  water  from  three  to  five  pounds  of  caustic  soda 
should  be  added,  the  quantity  depending  upon  the  degree  of  hardness  of 
the  water.  Both  temporary  and  permanent  hardness  are  removed  by  this 
method,  and  equally  good  results  are  obtained  with  either  hot  or  cold  water. 
The  lime,  magnesium  or  iron  salts  are  precipitated  as  insoluble  compounds, 
leaving  the  water  soft  and  in  condition  for  use  in  wool  scouring.  In  drying 
the  wool,  the  mistake  is  frequently  made  of  hastening  the  operation  by  in- 
creasing the  temperature,  which  gives  the  wool  a  harsh  handle  that  can- 
not be  overcome  in  further  processes.  A  better  method  is  to  increase  the 
drying  facilities  or  operate  this  department  overtime.  In  the  picker  room 
the 

Mixing  and  Oiling 

of  the  lots  must  bo  carefully  attended  to,  or  uneven  and  unsatisfactory  yarns 
will  result.  In  laying  out  the  lots  at  the  picker  the  various  stocks  should  be 
placed  in  layers  containing  approximately  the  correct  proportions  of  each, 
and  given  a  sufficient  quantity  of  an  emulsion  made  from  an  easily  saponi- 
fied oil  to  properly  lubricate  the  fibres  during  carding  and  spinning.  The 
amount  required  will  vary  with  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  stock,  and  the 
mixture  used  in  the  production  of  the  fabric  described  should  receive  four 
quarts  of  oil  per  hundred  pounds. 

The  roving  for  the  face  filling  should  be  made  about  two-thirds  draft, 
and  the  finer  yarns  used  in  the  balance  of  the  cloth  should  spin  well  at 
half  draft,  making  a  strong,  even  thread.  In  building  the  chain  for  plaid 
backs,  it  might  be  well  to  read  ''risers"  for  "sinkers"  and  vice  versa,  so  as 
to  bring  the  back  of  the  fabric  uppermost  in  the  loom,  enabling  the  weaver 
to  see  the  more  intricate  pattern  without  difficulty.    This   is  nonessential. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


179 


and  must  be  governed  by  conditions  existing  in  each  individual  mill.  Should 
this  be  done,  however,  see  that  the  twill  on  the  back  runs  in  the  direction 
intended.  When  woven,  the  pieces  should  be  inspected,  measured  and  sent 
to  the  burlers.  In  this  department  all  knots  are  removed,  slugs  and  bits 
of  foreign  matter  taken  out  and  loose  threads  tightened  up.  Should  there 
be  filling  drawn  in  at  the  sides,  it  should  be  carefully  taken  out  by  the 
burlers  without  disturbing  the  other  threads.  The  sewers  should  have  but 
little  work  on  a  fabric  of  this  kind,  as  with  well-made  warp  and  filling 
breakage  in  the  loom  should  be  very  slight.  From  the  sewing  room  the 
pieces  may  be  taken  direct  to  the  fulling  mills  and  run  into  the  mill  single. 
As  the  fabrics  are 

To  Have  a  Soft  Finish, 

the  fulling  should  be  accomplished  as  quickly  as  possible  with  this  end  In 
view.  The  longer  a  piece  is  fulled  the  more  boardy  it  becomes,  and  this  is 
an  undesirable  feature  in  fabrics  of  the  character  described.  Full  to  57 
inches  in  width,  and  transfer  immediately  to  the  washing  machine.  The 
scouring  of  the  cloth  is  a  chemical  not  a  mechanical  operation,  though 
many  finishers  seem  to  have  the  latter  idea  of  the  process.  The  cleansing 
of  the  fabrics  is  accomplished  by  the  chemical  union  of  the  soap  with  the 
grease  and  other  impurities  contained  in  the  fabric,  and  for  this  reason  it 
is  necessary  to  use  a  soap  of  sufficient  strength  to  emulsify  and  hold  in  sus- 
pension the  impurities  during  the  operations  of  fulling  and  scouring.  If 
the  soap  is  of  the  proper  body  and  strength,  its  vitality  should  not  be  ex- 
hausted in  the  fulling,  and  no  further  quantity  need  be  added  during  the 
scouring.  Run  for  half  an  hour  in  warm  water,  and  then  rinse  thoroughly  un- 
til every  trace  of  soap  is  removed.  Extract  moderately,  and  place  immedi- 
ately on  the  up-and-down  gig. 

The  napping  operation  is  one  which,  while 

Apparently  Very  Simple, 
requires  much  care  if  the  best  possible  results  are  to  be  obtained.  The 
process  should  be  started  with  old  work,  then  a  few  slats  removed  and 
sharper  work  substituted,  and  finished  with  every  slat  full  of  new  work. 
When  a  thick,  full  nap  has  been  raised,  give  a  run  on  the  cropping  shear 
to  square  the  nap  and  then  dry  the  pieces.  When  dry,  place  on  the  Whit- 
ney machine  and  give  one  run  to  obtain  the  peculiar  ripple  effect.  If  it  is 
desired  to  finish  the  back  of  the  fabric  with  a  semivelour  effect,  the  back 
should  be  napped  while  the  pieces  are  wet  and  before  the  face  has  had  any 
work,  then  nap  the  face  and  crop  both  sides  before  drying.  The  goods  re- 
quire no  further  treatment  after  the  passage  through  the  rippling  process, 
but  are  ready  to  inspect  and  roll  up. 

LAYOUT.  IV2"  for  listing  =  731/^"  over  all. 

4,040  ends;   13  reed,   4  per  dent   =  72"   4-70  picks. 
Dressed: 

3  times. 


Dark  brown. 1191    I  11    I  li    |  1 

Red    I  1(    I  l|    1  1 

Green   


♦Sections. 
Filling: 


I  1]  I  1)  1131241 
I     I  ^1     I    1     I  I 


1  1| 


I  11     I  II     1761     I  178 
I     I     I     I     I     I     I  18 
1      I  II     I  II     I     I  6 


202 
2 


404 
•10 


4.040 


Dark  brown.  |  1|     1  1 

1)    )  1] 

12|25 

1  11 

11     1  1!     1  11  11081 

192 

Red    1 

1 

f  1  1 

1  1 

1    1    1    1    1    1  1 

18 

1 

1 

11 

1!    1  1 

1  11    1  11    1  11  1 

6 

180 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


STOCK  MIXTURE. 
Warp  and  back  filling: 

70%  %  territory  @  44c  =  $  .308 

30%  fine  shoddy  @  20c  =  .060 

$  .368 

Face  filling: 

60%  %  territory  @  44c  =  $  .264 

40%  alpaca  noil  @  48c  =  .192 

$  .456 

CALCULATIONS. 
'4,040  ends  4  run  =  10.1  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =  11.22  oz. 

35  X73.6 

35  pks.  21/2  run  face  =   =  10.30  oz. 

250 
35  X  73.6 

35  pks.  4     run  back  ==  =    6.44  oz. 

400   

27.96  oz. 


COST. 

10.3  oz.  +  20%  waste  =  12.87  oz.  & 

$.456  per  lb  =  $  .3658 

17.66  oz.    -f   20%  waste   =  22.07  oz. 

@   $.368  per  lb  =  .5076 

Cost  of  stock    $  .8734 

Manufacturing,    70  picks  =  .4160 

Net  mill  cost   $1.2894 


16  harne.ss,  straight  draw. 


■□■■■■■□■□■■■■■n 

□□□□ 

■□□□■MHBHDBDHBIIB 


WOOL  AND  WORSTED  THREE-COLOR  HAIR  LINE 

The  true  hair  line  fabric  is  usually  made  from  fine  yarns  and  closely 
finished  in  order  to  bring  out  clearly  the  pattern  effect,  which  would  be 
hardly  perceptible  were  the  goods  finished  with  any  considerable  amount  of 
nap.  The  pattern  is  developed  in  a  single  thread  effect  the  line  resulting 
from  the  crossing  of  each  warp  end  by  a  pick  of  filling  of  the  same  color, 
and  is  invariably  woven  on  the  broken  crow  twill.  The  imitation  illustrated 
is  woven  on  a  rib  weave  with  a  warp  of  three  colors,  brown,  slate  and 
white,  two  ends  of  each  in  the  repeat,  and  woven  with  a  chain  that  raises 
all  the  threads  of  the  warp  at  each  pick,  except  those  of  the  same 
color  as  the  pick  about  to  be  thrown  across.  The  result 
is  a  three-colored  stripe,  well-defined,  and  a  well-balanced  fabric.  A 
similar  effect  might  be  produced  in  a  fabric  constructed  with  wool  for  both 
warp  and  filling,  the  only  objection  to  such  a  construction  being  the  fact  that 

Definition  of  Pattern 

is  difficult  to  obtain  without  clear  finishing,  because  of  the  very  decided 
tendency  of  the  v/ool  fibres  of  different  colors  to  overlap  and  felt  together 
in  the  fulling  pro(  ess.  In  the  recent  past,  a  woolen  fabric,  clear _  finished,  of 
similar  construction,  has  been  a  very  good  seller  with  a  number  of  fancy 
cassimere  mills.  The  popularity  of  pencil  stripes  and  other  fine  effects 
would  lead  one  to  suppose  that  a  fabric  similar  to  that  described  might  be 
well  received  the  coming  heavy-weight  season.  The  yarn  for  the  warp 
may  be  made  from  an  all-wool  stock  or  from  a  mixture  of  wool  and  shoddy 
or  noils.  The  use  of  shoddy  in  the  white  stripe  would  involve  a  careful  se- 
lection of  the  stock,  as  absolute  purity  of  color  must  be  obtained  or  the 
desired  effect  cannot  be  produced.  It  would  not  add  materially  to  the  cost 
to  use  a  noil  or  garnetted  thread  waste  in  the  stock  mixture  for  the  white, 
making  a  slight  increase  in  the  amount  of  shoddy  in  the  darker  mixtures  to 
overcome  the  greater  cost  of  the  white.  The 

Wools  Used  in  the  Warp 
should  be  of  medium  grade,  well  sorted,  all  discolored  locks  thrown  into 
the  lots  intended  for  coloring,  and  the  clear  white  kept  by  itself  for  use  in 
the  white  thread.  With  well -selected  wools,  scoured  carefully,  bleaching 
should  not  be  required,  but  to  overcome  the  slightly  yellow  tinge  to  be  found 
in  most  wools,  it  might  be  well  to  give  the  white  a  very  small  percentage 
of  a  thin  blue  dye,  the  effect  being  to  overcome  the  yellow  cast  and  make 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


181 


the  stock  a  more  brilliant  white.  This  process  is  used  by  many  of  our 
leading  mills,  and  is  practiced  in  our  laundries  daily.  See  that  the  stock 
is  thoroughly  mixed  in  the  picker  room  and  given  sufficient  oil  of  good 
quality  to  thoroughly  lubricate  it  during  the  carding  and  spinning  processes. 
The  necessity  for  oiling  the  stock  is  due  in  a  large  measure  to  the  peculiar 
physical  structure  of  the  wool  fibre.  To  the  naked  eye  a  single  fibre  of  wool 
appears  to  be  a  smooth,  cylindrical  filament,  the  same  size  from  root  to 
tip.  Viewed  under  a  powerful  microscope,  it  is  seen  to  be  a  hollow  cylinder, 
tapering  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  covered  with 

Innumerable  Fine  Bracts,  or  Serrations. 
These  fine  scales  give  to  the  wool  the  greater  part  of  its  felting  power, 
and  are  of  material  assistance  in  blending  the  mass  of  fibres  into  a  com- 


Three-Color  Hair  Line. 

pact  whole  during  the  process  of  fulling.  In  order  to  obtain  the  best  re- 
sults in  converting  the  wool  into  cloth,  it  is  essential  that  its  peculiar  char- 
acteristics are  preserved  to  the  fullest  extent.  Under  the  influence  of  mois- 
ture, the  fibre  becomes  soft  and  pliable,  the  serrations  are  much  less  liable 
to  be  damaged  in  the  process  of  manufacture,  and  less  waste  is  made.  The 
emulsion  used  in  the  picker  room  fills  these  imbrications  so  that  the  fibres 
slip  past  one  another  readily,  and  are  not  injured  by  the  friction  or  by  con- 
tact with  the  wire  clothing  of  the  cards.  In  addition  to  the  preservation  of 
the  structure  of  the  fibre,  the  oiling  of  the  wool  reduces  the  tendency  of  the 
wool  to  fly  from  the  cards  in  the  form  of  flne  w^ste. 

In  carding  a  stock  mixture  such  as  is  used  in  the  sample  the  clothing 
should  be  in  good  condition  and  the  various  parts  set  fairly  close.  On  the 


182  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


first  breaker  the  worker  should  be  set  to  the  cylinder  with  a  26  gauge,  and 
a  28  or  30  should  be  used  on  the  second  breaker  and  finisher.  Grinding 
should  not  be  resorted  to  at  too  frequent  intervals,  and  must  be  very  care- 
fully done.  Avoid  setting  the  grinder  on  too  hard,  or  there  is  great  danger 
of  forming  a  hook  on  the  end  of  the  wire  which  will  prevent  the  doffer 
from  taking  the  stock  from  the  cylinder.  Should  this  occur,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  "face"  the  clothing,  that  is,  run  the  cylinder  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion, grinding 

Against  the  Points 

of  the  wire.  This  should  never  be  undertaken  unless  absolutely  necessary, 
as  it  has  a  decided  tendency  to  loosen  the  wire  in  the  foundation,  a  condition 
of  affairs  that  is  extremely  undesirable  and  may  require  considerable  labor 
to  remedy.  To  overcome  this  defect,  it  may  be  necessary  to  resort  to 
"flocking,"  which,  even  when  done  by  an  expert,  will  not  put  the  clothing 
in  as  good  condition  as  it  was  originally.  Excessive  grinding  is  also  very 
apt  to  cause  the  teeth  to  shell  out,  particularly  if  the  clothing  has  been  in 
use  for  a  considerable  length  of  time.  When  this  occurs  to  any  great  ex- 
tent, the  only  remedy,  and  one  that  is  very  expensive,  is  to  replace  the 
clothing. 

If  the  hooking  of  the  clothing  is  but  slight  it  may  be  remedied  some- 
times by  running  a  roll  covered  with  old  fancy  wire  against  the  points,  set 
fairly  well  in.  The  care  of  carding  machinery  is  extremely  important,  as 
on  its  perfect  condition  depends  the  ability  of  the  carder  to  turn  out  rov- 
ing that  will  spin  well  and 

Give  the  Desired  Results 

in  the  finished  goods.  The  clothing  is  very  expensive,  and  may  be  seriously 
injured  in  a  variety  of  ways.  There  are  many  mills  in  operation  to-day  that 
have  no  bur  picker  in  their  equipment  of  preparatory  machinery,  trusting 
to  the  bur  guards  in  the  first  breaker  to  throw  out  the  burs  contained  in  the 
wool.  This  is  a  very  shortsighted  policy,  as  the  cost  of  installation  and 
operation  would  be  more  than  overbalanced  by  the  saving  of  needless  wear 
and  damage  to  the  card  clothing.  Examples  to  prove  this  contention  are 
probably  familiar  to  every  carder,  a  recent  experience  in  Pennsylvania 
bringing  it  to  mind  very  forcibly.  The  carder  was  about  to  grind  the  set, 
and  had  removed  the  top  work,  leaving  the  cylinder  plainly  visible  from 
all  parts  of  the  room.  Even  when  standing  by  the  condenser  on  the  finisher 
of  the  set  the  appearance  of  the  cylinder  was  much  like  that  of  a  dusty 
road  at  the  beginning  of  a  shower,  it  would  be  impossible  to  place  the  tip 
of  a  finger  on  it  without  touching  a  spot  where  the  wire  had  been  knocked 
down  by  a  bur  or  other  hard  substance.  The  clothing  was  ruined,  so  far  as 
the  carding  of  fine  or  medium  stock  was  concerned.  Extreme  caution  is  re- 
quired in  the  grinding  of  the  doffer  rings  also,  as  on  their  condition  the 
quality  of  roving  produced  is  largely  dependent.  Overgrinding  is  more  apt 
to  be  the  trouble  than  lack  of  it  to  keep  the  clothing  sharp. 

Make  the  roving  slightly  over  half  draft,  keeping  tops  and  bottoms  sep- 
arate. The  fact  that  they  weigh  alike  presupposes  that  they  will  run  alike 
on  the  mule,  but  experience  has  taught  most  of  us  the  wisdom  of  spinning 
separately,  or  on  the  two  sides  of  a  mule,  having  variable  roving  speeds  for 
each  side.  A 

Frequent  Source  of  Trouble 

in  subsequent  operations  is  the  making  of  heavy  or  light  side  ends.  These 
may  come  next  to  the  waste  ring  on  each  doffer  or  on  the  opposite  end.  The 
trouble  may  be  that  the  waste  ring  is  taking  too  much  stock,  but  more  often 
it  will  be  found  that  the  cause  of  the  trouble  is  at  the  back  of  the  card.  It 
may  be  that  the  Apperly  is  not  set  quite  as  wide  as  it  should  be,  or  that  the 
traverse  mptipn  is  speeded  too  fast,  causing  the  roving  to  draw  at  each 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


side.  These  suggestions  may  assist  the  carder  in  locating  the  trouble,  or  at 
least  give  him  an  idea  as  to  where  it  may  be  found. 

Spinning  practically  perfect  yarns  from  well-made  roving  is  usually 
comparatively  easy,  and  from  our  stock  mixture  should  present  no  difficulty 
whatever.  Let  the  mule  start  out  at  a  fair  rate  of  speed  so  as  to  begin 
drawing  the  yarn  before  too  much  twist  has  been  inserted,  otherwise  there 
will  be  greater  breakage  of  ends  than  should  occur.  Keep  the  faller  well 
weighted,  thus  building  a  firm  bobbin  that  will  not  slough  off  in  spooling  or 
weaving.  Have  all  broken  ends  tied,  no  splicers  being  allowed  either  in 
warp  or  filling. 

Spoolers  should  be  taught  to  tie  a  knot  that  will  not  slip,  and  must  be 
cautioned  to  leave  no  long  ends.  The  dressing,  from  spools  made  practically 
perfect,  free  from 

Holes  and  Double  Ends, 

should  not  require  much  time,  as  the  reels  may  readily  be  operated  at  a 
speed  of  from  8  to  11  turns  per  minute.  In  beaming,  the  use  of  a  compressor 
will  be  found  to  increase  the  amount  of  yarn  that  can  be  placed  on  a  beam, 
and  will  aid  in  the  making  of  a  warp  that  will  weave  well,  increasing  the 
production  per  loom,  as  the  yarn  will  retain  its  elasticity  to  a  remarkable 
degree.  Run  the  worsted  filling  with  as  little  brush  in  the  shuttle  as  is  com- 
patible with  perfect  work.  Burling  and  sewing  are  almost  negligible  items, 
as  the  work  should  come  from  the  weave  room  practically  perfect.  The  full- 
ing may  be  done  in  the  grease,  unless  there  is  reason  to  suspect  that  the 
white  will  be  stained.  If  such  is  the  case,  scour  and  extract,  then  run  through 
the  soaping  machine,  and  full  to  57  inches  in  width,  with  no  endwise  shrink- 
age. Wash  out  every  trace  of  soap,  extract  and  dry.  When  thoroughly  dry, 
the  pieces  should  be  lightly  sheared  to  remove  any  long  hairs,  have  a  run 
on  the  brush  and  be  pressed.  As  they  emerge  from  the  press  give  them  a 
light  steaming  and  roll  up.  The  finish  will  be  much  more  permanent  if  they 
are  allowed  to  remain  overnight  on  the  rolls. 

LAYOUT.  CALCULATIONS. 

1'944  ends;  131/2  reed    2  per  dent  =  72"  +       1,944  ends,  3  run        6.48  oz.  +  10% 

IV2"  for  listing  =  731/2"  over  all.  take-up   =     7.2  oz. 

60  picks.  60x731/2 

Dressed-  picks  2/36  =   =        7.0  oz. 


3  run  brown. 
3  run  slate  .  .  . 
3  run  white .  . 


STOCK  MIXTURE. 


An  ounce  

2/36  worsted  (g)  76c.  per  lb.  =  4%c.  an  oz. 


2 

2 

2 

2 

6 

54 

824 

*6 

1 

944 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

=  20c. 

8c. 

6)  28c. 

l%c. 

36X  560- 

Loom   weight    14.2  oz. 


COST. 

7.2   oz.    +    20%    waste   =    8    oz.  @ 

$.0175   =  $  .1400 

7   oz.    +    3%    waste   =    7.22   oz.  ^ 

$.0475   =  .3429 


♦Sections.  1,944  Cost  of  stock    $  .4829 

Cost  of  manufacturing  =  .3750 

iiiingr ; 

2/36   white    1 

2/36  slate   

2/36  brown  


Net  mill  cost   $  .8579 

6  harness,   straight  draw. 


50%  medium  wool  (g)  40c  =  20c. 

50%  shoddy   @    16c  =      8c.  ■■□nr 


■HOnH 


184 


Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary 


NOVELTY  CHECK  WORSTED  AND  COHON  DRESS  GOODS 

The  fabric  illustrated  is  one  that  should  show  a  good  profit  for  a  mill 
producing  its  own  worsted  yarns,  as  it  can   be    made   on   the   double -loom 
system  and  the  worsted  filling  woven  directly  from  the  spinning  bobbin  in 
the  single.    The  warp  is  dressed  four  ends  of  v/hite  2-50s  worsted  and 
four  ends  of  black  l-20s  cotton,  the  filling  pattern,  four  picks  white  l-24s 
worsted  and  four  picks  black  l-20s  cotton.  In  appearance  and  handle  the 
fabric  very  closely  approximates  one    made  entirely  from  worsted,  being 
very  cleverly  fabricated  and  intended  to  convey  to  the  uninitiated  the  idea 
that  it  is  a  pure  worsted  cloth.  It  must  not  be  understood  from  the  fore- 
going statement  that  the  manufacturer  expects  to   merchandise   the  fabric 
lor  other  than  what  it  is,  half  cotton,  for  the  buyer  in  these  days  is  far 
00  familiar  with  the  construction  of  cloths  to  be  deceived  by  such  a  fab- 
ic  as  this.  The  deception  comes  when  the  cloths  are  sold  by  the  retailer, 
lamentable  lack  of  knowledge  as  to  the  component  parts  of  his  mer- 

ii 

m 
ii 

ill 

till 


mm 

liii 

few 

ill 
IIP 
Iff 


Novelty  Check  Dress  Goods. 


chandise  being  evidenced  every  day  in  our  department  stores.  Unless  we 
are  to  believe  that,  in  addition  to  the  exorbitant  profits  figured  on  his 
merchandise,  the  intention  is  to  deceive  the  buyer,  we  are  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  average  merchant  has  very  little  knowledge  of  the 
goods  he  handles  daily.  That  the  latter  more  charitable  view  of  the  case 
is  correct  is  certainly  not  the  fault  of  the  manufacturer,  as  no  one  would 
adopt  the  suicidal  policy  of  attempting  to  sell  their  fabrics  as  other  than 
they  really  are.  The 

Amazing  Ignorance 

of  the  ordinary  salesman  in  our  departm.ent  stores  concerning  the  fabrics 
handled  is  well-nigh  beyond  belief,  and  is  absolutely  without  excuse  in  these 
days,  when  the  actual  facts  as  to  the  construction  of  fabrics  are  so  readily 
available  in  language  free  from  techniealities.  That  anyone  remains  in  ig- 
norance as  to  the  methods  of  determining  the  relative  am.ounts  of  wool 
and  cotton  in  a  given  fabric,  presupposes  a  disinclination  to  avail  himself 
of  the  means  at  hand  of  acquiring  the  information,  and  goes  far  toward 
explaining  why  they  never  advance  to  positions  of  responsibility.  The  cot- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


185 


ton  used  may  be,  and  in  all  probability  is,  purchased  on  a  section  beam 
ready  lor  the  dresser  in  fast  black,  either  a  sulphur  or  a  developed  black. 
It  must  be  absolutely  iree  from  any  tendency  to  crock  or  stain  tne  white 
worsted  during  weaving  or  finishing. 

The  worsted  is  made  from  a  clear  white  half-blood  territory  of  fair 
staple,  preferably  a  French  spun  yarn.  The  advantages  of  using  French, 
or  dry  spun  yarns  in  fabrics  of  this  character  are  obvious  to  anyone  con- 
versant with  the  process  of  yarn  manufacture.  Yarns  spun  on  the  French 
system 

Are  Usually  Softer 

and  possibly  a  trifle  more  plump  than  an  equivalent  grade  and  size  made 
by  the  English  or  Bradford  system,  and  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  pro  ■ 
duction  of  goods  of  this  character.  Tne  softness  and  mllness  of  the  wor- 
sted aids  materially  in  relieving  the  harsh  touch  that  would  ordinarily 
result  from  the  use  of  so  large  a  proportion  or  cotton  in  the  fabric.  The 
warp  yarns  should  ba  carefully  inspected  before  the  warps  are  dressed,  as 
it  is  obvious  that  imperfections  may  be  rem.oved  much  more  readily  while 
the  yarn  is  free  than  when  woven  into  the  goods.  The  im.portance  of  thor- 
ough yarn  inspection  is  sometimes  overlooked,  especially  if  the  yarns  are 
to  be  woven  by  the  spinner.  This  is  a  great  mistake,  as  it  may  be  easily 
proven  that  the  expense  of  inspection  is  more  than  overcom^e  by  the  in 
creased  production  from  dressers  and  looms,  owing  to  the  improved  con- 
dition of  the  yarn.  The  great  decrease  of  time  and  labor  required  for  the 
burling  is  also  a  feature  that  should  appeal  to  the  manufacturer  who  is  anx- 
ious to  economize  and  bring  his  manufacturing  costs  to  a  minimum,  while 
raising  the  standard  of  his  product.  Too  often  it  is  thought  that  these 
trifling  details  are  not  of  sufficient  importance  for  the  manager  to  bother' 
with,  but  efficiency  reduced  to  its  lowest  terms  is  elimination  of  unneces- 
sary work,  and  performing  the  work  that  is  required  with  the  greatest 
economy  of  tim.e  and  labor.  If  we  are  to  do  this,  there  are  no  trifles  in 
the  conversion  of  raw  materials  into  finished  fabrics,  each  operation  being 
of  the  utm.ost  importance,  and  each  operative  should  be  taught  to  feel  that 
the  success  of  the  mill  is  dependent,  in  part  at  least,  on  the  proper  perform- 
ance of  his  or  her  duty. 

Spooling  shoul  1  be  carefully  attended  to,  the  tension  on  each  thread 
as  even  as  it  is  possible  to  secure,  and  the  spool  be  free  from  holes.  Only 
by  having  practically  perfect  spooling  is  it  possible  to  obtain  a  high  pro- 
duction in  the  dressing  room  of  warps  that  will  give  the 

Best  Possible  Results. 

in  the  weave  room.  In  beaming,  see  that  the  flanges  are  perfectly  true  and 
that  the  reel  is  in  such  position  thai  the  warp  is  delivered  exactly  be- 
tween the  flanges.  The  looms  i^nould  be  carefully  gone  over  hefore  the 
warps  are  hung,  the  stop  motion  examined,  oiled,  and  if  necessary,  ad- 
justed. New  friction  bands  should  be  placed  on  the  beam  heads,  and  the 
take-up  placed  in  perfect  condition.  Hang  the  harnesses  uniformly,  with  a 
slight  slope  upward  from  the  front,  that  the  shade  may  open  evenly.  Tie  in 
the  warp,  taking  care  to  have  the  same  tension  on  each  section,  and  avoid 
m.aking  unnecessary  waste.  Drop  the  harness  leveling  blade  and  turn  over 
the  head  motion.  The  bottom  shade  should  clear  the  race  plate  nicely,  but 
m.ust  not  be  high  enough  to  cause  the  shuttle  to  fly  out  or  split  bobbins. 
Take  a  few  picks,  then  level  the  harnesses  and  tie  in  all  broken  threads. 
After  weaving  the  heading  put  in  the  filling,  weave  an  inch  or  two  and 
look  over  the  harnesses.  Every  broken  thread  should  be  tied  in,  wrong 
draws  corrected  and  wrong  colors  made  right.  Weave  sufficient  to  see  that 
the  picks  are  correct,  and  the  looms  should  be  turned  over  to  the  weaver  in 
operation.  As  soon  as  convenient  after  coming  from  the  loom,  the  pieces 


186 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


should  be  inspected  over  a  perch  and  measured,  proper  records  made  and 
the  goods  are  then  ready  for  the  burlers. 

The  burling  room  should  have  an  equipment  of  tables  with  a  perfectly 
smooth  top,  preferably  of  metal,  so  that  the  girls  may  easily  find  the  knots 
as  they  pass  their  hands  over  the  surface  of  the  cloth.  They  should  be  in- 
structed to  raise  the  knots  on  both  sides  of  the  cloth,  remove  all  slugs  and 
bits  of  foreign  matter,  the  tangled  ends  of  broken  threads  and  filling  which 
have  been  drawn  in  at  the  sides.  Sewing  is  the  next  operation,  requiring 
some  skill  on  the  part  of  the  operative  to  correctly  replace  missing  threads 
of  warp  and  filling.  The  sewers  must  replace  hard  twist  ends,  wrong 
draws,  wrong  colors,  mend  floats  and  small  holes,  putting  the  cloth  in  as 
nearly  perfect  condition  as  possible  before  scouring. 

The  scouring  operation  is  usually  performed  in  a  four,  six  or 
Eight-String  Washer, 
the  goods  passing  in  rope  form  between  heavy  rollers,  which  effectually 
remove  the  grease  and  dirt.  The  soap  used  should  be  a  pure,  neutral  palm 
oil,  with  no  trace  of  free  caustic  alkali.  The  scouring  soap  for  a  fabric 
of  the  type  described  should  not  require  more  than  three  ounces  of  soap 
and  two  ounces  of  alkali  to  the  gallon  of  water  to  cleanse  them  thoroughly. 
Run  in  the  suds  with  warm  water  for  15  to  20  minutes,  open  the  gates  and 
rinse  all  the  soap  and  dirt  out.  Extract  and  immediately  take  to  the  dry- 
er. Goods  should  not  be  allowed  to  lie  around  while  damp,  as  the  exposed 
parts  are  likely  to  dry  out  to  a  certain  extent,  and  will  not  give  even  re- 
sults in  the  finishing.  Avoid  too  high  a  temperature  in  drying,  as  the  han- 
dle of  the  goods  will  be  injiired  by  excessive  heat.  Give  a  ran  on 
the  brush  and  shear  quite  closely,  brush,  examine,  and,  if 
necessary,  take  to  the  fine  sewers.  This  operation  should 
have  the  attention  of  the  most  expert  sewers  to  be  had,  as  it  is  a  matter 
requiring  no  mean  degree  of  skill  to  sew  on  finished  goods  and  leave  no 
trace.  Brush,  spray  and  press. 


LAYOUT. 
3,840   ends;   15  reed,    4  per  dent  = 
11/^"  for  listing  =   651/2"  over  all. 
72  picks. 

8  harness,  straight  draw. 

Dressed: 

White  worsted    4 

Black  cotton    4 


♦Sections. 
Filling: 

White  worsted 
Black  cotton  . 


1,920  ends  2/50  worsted  = 
+  10%   

1.920  ends  1/20  cotton  = 
+  10%   


CALCULATIONS. 

2.2  oz. 
1.82*  "oz. 


8 

60 


480 
*8 


3,840 


2.43  oz. 
2.00  oz. 


36  pks.  1/24  wrstd.  =  ■ 


36  pks.  1/20  cot'n. 
Loom  weight 

2.43    oz.  worsted 
2.55  oz.   @  $1 .  .  . 

2.78    oz.  worsted 
2.86  oz.  @  84c.. 

4.24     oz.  cotton 
4.42  oz.    @  28c.. 


36  X65.5 

24  X  560-r-16 
36  X  65.5 

20X  840^1' 


2.78  ez. 


COST. 
+  5% 


3% 
'  3%' 


waste 
waste 
waste 


Cost  of  stock 
Manufacturing    .  .  , 


Net  mill  cost 


=  2.24  oz. 
9.45  oz. 

.=  $  .1593 

.=  .1501 

.0782 

$  .3876 
.3040 

$  691G 


.  □■■  White 

h  m  ^^hite 

^  White 

BDCBBran  white 

O    K^DLEDCIB  Black 

amm  deed  oiack 

□□BfekEDDH  Black 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY    '  187 

N3VELTY  CLOAKING,  IMITATION  CHINCHILLA 

A  greater  interest  in  fabrics  manufactured  from  novelty  yarns  has  been 
manifested  of  late  than  has  been  in  evidence  for  a  number  of  years.  The 
popularity  of  imitation  furs,  ratines  and  boucles  has  led  to  much  experi- 
menting on  the  part  of  yarn  manufacturers,  with  a  resulting  increase  in  the 
number  of  novelties  offered  the  weaver.  The  effect  obtained  in  the  sample 
illustrated  is  a  high-colored  background  covered  with  a  mass  of  closely 
curled  loops  of  contrasting  colors,  the  result  being  an  extremely  attractive 
fabric  without  the  clumsy,  bulky  appearance  that  characterizes  many  of 
the  Offerings  of  rough-faced  coatings.  The  production  of  novelties  in  any 
line  is  a  source  of  much  more  profit  than  can  be  obtained  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  standard  staple  goods.  In  no  line  of  manufacturing  is  this  more  true 
than  in  the  textile  field,  more  particularly  in  the  department  of  ladies'  wear. 
The  price  that  may  be  obtained  for  a  novelty  that  meets  with  popular  ap- 
proval is  not  based  on  intrinsic  value  or  cost  of  production,  but  is  entirely 
a  question  of  how  much  the  public  can  be  induced  to  pay,  and  is  largely  a 
question  of  clever  advertising  and  securing  the  approval  of  a  few  acknowl- 
edged leaders  of  fashion.  When  successfully  introduced,  production  should 
be  hastened  as  rapidly  as  possible,  to  secure  the  cream  of  the  market  be- 
fore the  horde  of  imitators  are  able  to  follow  with  a  fabric  at  a  lower  price 
that  approximates  the  appearance  of  the  original,  though  usually  of  much 
less  value.  It  would  seem  that  a  law  to  prevent  copying  fabrics  and  styles 
would  be  of  much  more  benefit  to  the  trade  than  much  of  the  legislation 
that  is  proposed. 

Opportunities  Offered. 

The  opportunities  offered  the  designer  in  the  fabrication  of  cloakings 
of  this  type  are  not  confined  to  weave  combinations,  but  include  the  taste- 
ful blending  of  colors  in  both  warp  and  filling.  The  sample  taken  as  a  type 
has  a  woolen  warp  of  solid  red,  in  a  medium  shade,  the  filling  being  of  red 
wool,  identical  in  color  and  stock  with  the  warp,  and  two  shades  of  a  nov- 
elty yarn,  alternate  picks  of  black  and  Bismarck  brown,  6-18  spiral,  the 
loops  formed  in  fulling  covering  the  face  and  almost  entirely  obscuring  the 
warp,  though  the  color  shows  through  sufficiently  to  form  a  pleasing  com- 
bination with  the  filling  yarns.  The  warp  and  ground  filling  are  made  from 
a  stock  mixture  of  medium  wool  and  shoddy  of  a  light  shade,  or  preferably 
a  stock  made  from  red  cloth  clippings.  The  warp  yarn  is  spun  four  run 
right  twist  and  the  filling  four  and  a  half  run  left  twist.  The  stock  should 
be  carefully  mixed  in  the  picker  house  and  well  carded.  The  roving  should 
be  clear  and  free  from  twits,  made  a  trifle  over  half  draft.  In  spinning,  the 
most  imrortant  feature  is  the  production  of  a  strong,  elastic  yarn,  smooth- 
ness being  of  secondary  importance,  as  the  woolen  yarns  do  not  show  to 
any  extent  on  the  face  of  the  fabric.  The  stock  used  must  be  possessed  of 
good  felting  qualities,  as  on  this  depends  to  a  great  extent  the  success  of 
the  finish  desired.  The  worsted  yarns  used  to  give  the  loop  effect  on  the 


188  'WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


face  are  made  especially  with  this  end  in  view.  Instead  of  twisting  two 
threads  of  the 

Same  Size  and  Quality 

together,  as  is  the  usual  custom,  the  spiral  yarn  used  for  this  fabric  is 
made  by  twisting  a  single  twenty- six,  made  from  half-blood  wool,  with  a 
single  eight,  made  from  a  lustrous  crossbred,  or  mohair.  The  result  is  a 
thread  that,  instead  of  being  smooth  as  the  ordinary  worsted  thread,  has 
the  appearance  of  a  corkscrew.  The  reason  for  using  yarns  of  such  di- 
verse sizes  and  grades  is  that  during  the  fulling  operation  the  wool  and  fine 
worsted  threads  are  very  much  shortened,  while  the  heavier,  coarse-grade 
worsted,  with  relatively  little  capacity  for  fulling,  instead  of  being  shorten- 
ed, forms  little  loops  or  curls  on  the  face  of  the  goods,  covering  the  face 
completely  with  innumerable  little  curls,  somewhat  resembling  the  appear- 
ance of  a  chinchilla.  The  fabric  is  frequently  termed  imitation  chinchilla  on 
this  account. 

The  manufacture  of  the  novelty  filling  yarns  is  not  usually  undertaken 
by  the  weaver,  but  is  a  specialty  with  certain  worsted  spinners  and  a  few 
concerns  that  buy  the  various  worsted  yarns  and  have  only  an  equipment 
of  twisters,  loopers  and  other  machinery  for  the  production  of  novelties  for 
the  trade.  The  advantages  to  be  derived  from  manufacturing  such  yarns 
by  the  weaver  are  largely  overcome  by  the  fact  that  there  are  long  periods 
when  a  considerable  equipment  of  rather  expensive  machinery  may  be  idle, 
the 

Fixed  Charges  Overbalancing 

the  saving  in  expense  of  buying  novelty  yarns  at  possibly  infrequent  inter- 
vals. Spiral  yarns  are  possibly  the  simplest  form  of  novelties,  and  may  be 
made  on  the  ordinary  type  of  twister,  while  for  the  manufacture  of  loop 
yarns,  picot  and  knots,  a  special  twister  with  two  sets  of  delivery  rolls  and 
a  variety  of  attachments  is  necessary. 

The  warps  are  dressed  in  eight  sections,  using  spools  of  48  ends 
each,  or  10 1/^  spools  of  40  ends  each,  making  420  ends  per  section,  without 
the  use  of  special  spooler  guides.  The  full  draft  repeats  on  24  harnesses, 
but  may  be  reduced  to  16  without  undue  crowding  of  the  threads.  Burling 
and  sewing  require  but  little  attention,  as  minor  imperfections  will  not  be 
seen  in  the  finished  goods.  Fulling  is  the  most  important  feature  in  the 
finishing  of  fabrics  of  this  character,  as  on  the  results  of  this  operation  de- 
pend the  success  of  the  finisher.  In  many  mills  it  is  customary  to  run  the 
goods  into  the  fulling  mills,  throw  in  the  cold  soap  and  trust  to  luck  to  get 
even  results.  This  method  may  work  very  well  on  goods  that  require 
heavy  fulling  for  a  long  period,  but  would  prove  disastrous  if  tried  on  goods 
such  as  we  are  to  finish.  Better  results  are  obtained  if  even  distribution 
of  the  soap  is  secured  by  means  of  a  soaping  machine  and  the 

Goods  Are  Tacked  Before  Fulling. 

Just  why  tacking,  or  loosely  sewing  the  edges  of  the  pieces  together 
before  fulling,  produces  more  even  results  is  a  question  concerning  which 
there  are  many  opinions  held  by  finishers.  That  such  results  are  obtained 
is  unquestionably  true.  One  of  the  best  reasons  given  is  that  the  tacking 
forming  the  piece  into  an  endless  tube  tonds  to  confine  the  air  within  the 
tube,  and  as  this  is  forced  back  by  the  action  of  the  rolls,  it  prevents  the 
running  of  the  goods  in  the  same  lolds  during  the  fulling,  thus  preventing 
the  formation  of  welts  or  mill  wrinkles,  a  defect  impossible  to  remove  if 
once  formed. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


189 


If  the  goods  are  fulled  without  tacking,  they  should  be  examined  at  in- 
tervals to  see  that  satisfactory  progress  is  being  made,  and  if  any  tendency 
to  welting  is  noticed  the  pieces  should  be  stretched  in  width  by  hand  be- 
fore the  mills  are  again  started.  The  soap  used  on  these  cloths  must  be  one 
that  can  be  absolutely  relied  on  as  to  purity,  fulling  and  detergent  proper- 
lies,  as  the  use  of  an  inferior  soap  on  a  single  set  of  pieces  will  cause  a  loss 
sufficient  to  pay  for  several  barrels  of  the  best  soap  procurable.  Full  to 
57  inches  in  width,  with  no  loss  in  length,  removing  immediately  to  the 
washer.  Run  for  a  few  minutes  in  warm  water,  when,  if  a  good  soap  has 
been  used,  the  goods  should  lather  up  freely.  Scour  thoroughly  and  rinse 
well  before  taking  from  the  washer.  Extract  and  dry  at  a  moderate  heat. 
Shear  off  the  long  hairs  and  give  a  moderate  pressing. 


LAYOUT. 

3  360  ends;  11  reed,  4  per  dent  =  75 Va"  + 

IVa"  lor  listing  =  77"  over  aU. 
76  picks. 
Dressed : 

4  run  red    420 

♦8 


♦Sections. 
Filling: 

8/26  black   1 

8/26  brown   

ZVi  red   


3.360 


STOCK  MIXTURE  FOR  WARP  AND  WOOL 
FILLING. 

50%  wool  @  44c  =  $  .22 

50%  shoddy  @  24c  =  .12 

$  .34 

$.34  H-  16  oz.  =  2%c.  per  ounce. 

8/26  novelty  @  88c. 

CHAIN  DRAFT. 
1  worsted. 
1  wool. 


76  picks. 


oudiJM  MMMumam  mm 
L □□  .anumumm^m  □ j 

DJ^amdMMMm^LjuaDa 
umajiQMmmammmQmmm 

ammmMmmmm^^m ^mmm 

□□  □□□JDOJii-iaiiiiJi 
□□□■■AjfljaaMiiHja 

□□J  .DJ  mmmmmm^aj 

□□  Ddaaaaaau  ..ua 
maDammMUdmm^mmma 
LOG  jaaaajGaGjaaa 
aaaBBBaaaiiaaaaaa 


CALCULATIONS. 
3,360  ends  4  run  =  8.4  oz.    -4-  10% 

take-up   =    9.33  oz. 

38X77 

38  picks  4  1/2  run  =    =    6.50  oz. 

350 

38X77 

38  pks.  8/26  wstd.  =   16.78  oz. 

41/2  X  560-^2-^-16   

Loom   weight    32.61  oz. 

COST. 

15.88    oz.    woolen    +    20%    waste  = 

19.85   oz.    @    2y8C  =  $  .4218 

16.78    oz.    novelty    +    3%    waste  = 

17.27  oz.  @  51/20  =  .9498 

Cost  of  stock   $1.3716 

Manufacturing   =  .4420 

Net  mill  cost   $1.8136 

CHAIN  DRAFT. 

Worsted   1  1     I  2 

Wool                                                   1  1 


56  picks 


□□□□-■iuULjan  ~  jaaa 
■  juuaa  jmihjilJ  J  J  J 
□□□□^aaaaaaj JjG  j 

□  _GGaaGGGaa  4m jaa 
□BG  aaaGB^aGJj^G 

GGGGiiB^aaGGJ  J  JG^ 
□GGGGGGGjiBdaJJ  JG 

jaommommm .aa jgj« 

□GGGBaaGG  jGGGjaa 

□GGGGG^aaaaaGGGG 
GGB  ua  a.aaBGaaa 

GGGG  <GGG JGG  ^mmmm 
GGGGJiia^«i«GaG  .  G 

BGG  .aa._jaBaGa.jBGa 

aGGJGGGGGaaa  4mMiJ 

GGGGBaaaGGGGGGaa 
□aGG^a^G^iltf  .mmmU 

DUO ^GG jBaaaaaaGG 
uuG  Maj  .G  j  aaaa 

□  Ji  BBGaaa  jBBjiGaB 
aza  .  aaaaaa  jg_<.jG 
GJG  a  ggjgbi  bub 

G  B'^^GBB  »G«^BG.iaa 

G  .uGaaaaaG  j  j  nam 

□  GGGGGGaaaaaa  a 
BGJ'  jaaGaaiiGaaB  :b 

[JG  -G  4»m  j^GGGG«Ba 

□G_a -GaaaaaiiGG^D 
Ga  .  a4a-Baiiua«^G 
G  .^aa  jGGGGGi-atfaa 
GJG.  aaaaaa  jgggg 
ujjaaGB^a  'BB^gbb 
G.  G  G^G  j^aaaia-iG 

G  GGa#BB  i_GGJGaB 

i_Ga  .GB^aGaa^GB^B 

□□GG^GGBBBBflaGGa 


190  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

PIECE-DYED  DRGCIDED  DRESS  GOODS 

That  style  changes  run  in  fairly  recognized  cycles  is  a  statement  often 
made,  and  one  that  may  be  readily  proven  by  an  examination  of  the  style 
books  of  former  years  now  packed  away  in  some  dusty  corner  of  the  mill 
attic.  Each  special  type  of  fabric  has  its  run  of  popularity  and  is  then  rel- 
egated to  a  place  in  the  rear  of  the  procession  or  is  entirely  neglected  for  a 
time,  only  to  be  revived,  possibly  under  a  new  name,  and  exploited  as  the 
"dernier  cri."  As  an  example  of  the  return  to  popular  favor  of  a  fabric 
which  has  led  the  market  twice  within  the  memory  of  many  of  our  present- 
day  manufacturers  the  boucle  may  be  cited.  Twenty  years  ago  thousands 
of  pieces  were  turned  out  by  the  Beoli  Mill,  then  owned  by  James  Phillips, 
Jr.,  many  of  the  styles  being  copyrighted.  Other  manufacturers  were  quick 
to  see  the  possibilities  of  large  profits  in  the  production  of  a  fabric  which 
apparently  could  not  be  turned  out  in  sufficient  quantities  to  supply  the 
demand. 

Demand  Quickly  Changes. 

The  fickleness  of  the  cloaking  trade  was  proverbial  even  at  that  time, 
and  the  demand  was  a  thing  of  the  past  almost  overnight,  to  be  revived  in 
all  its  former  vigor  twenty  years  later.  A  similar  story  might  well  be  told 
of  brocaded  dress  goods,  which  have  been  in  their  heyday  of  prosperity  of 


Piece- Dyed  Brocaded  Dress  Goods. 


late.  Jacquards,  which  have  not  been  in  use  for  years  in  many  of  our  mills, 
have  been  overhauled  and  again  placed  in  commission,  while  designers  in 
mills  with  no  jacquard  equipment  have  racked  their  brains  to  produce  sim- 
ilar effects  on  the  ordinary  harness  loom.  The  result  has  been  an  unlimit- 
ed array  of  figured  cloths  in  a  range  of  colorings  that  seems  well-nigh  end- 
less. Some  of  the  most  popular  effects  have  been  produced  in  solid  colors, 
the  decoration  consisting  of  floats  of  a  heavy  filling  in  a  variety  of  figures, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


191 


produced  by  lowering  certain  of  the  warp  threads  in  a  predetermined  or- 
der. 

The  fabric  illustrated  is  the  product  of  a  domestic  mill,  and  compares 
very  favorably  with  similar  fabrics  from  abroad,  both  in  fabrication  and 
finish,  and  is  of  greater  intrinsic  value  than  foreign  cloths  of  the  same 
price.  The  yarns  from  which  the  goods  are  made  were  spun  from  South 
American  crossbreds  on  the  Bradford  system,  and  are  such  as  are  quoted 
in  the  columns  of  the  American  Wool  and  Cotton  Reporter  from  week  to 
week.  The  warp  in  the  fabric  analyzed  is  a  two-ply  thirty -two,  but  it  is 
not  essential  that  a  two-ply  yarn  be  used.  The  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  using  twofold  yarn  are 

Greater  Strength  in  Weaving, 
less  danger  of  breakage  from  the  loose  fibres  intertwining,  and  a  smoother 
fabric.  The  comparative  looseness  of  the  filling  figure  prevents  shearing 
very  closely,  as  there  would  be  imminent  risk  of  cutting  the  filling  were 
this  attempted.  In  many  of  the  styles  shown  the  figures  are  developed  in 
part,  or  entirely,  by  special  warp  threads,  or  by  the  introduction  of  threads 
of  entirely  different  material.  The  fabric  under  discussion,  however,  de- 
pends entirely  upon  the  weave  and  texture  for  its  ornamentation.  The  tex- 
ture of  the  fabric  is  comparatively  low,  counting  only  40  warp  ends  and 
36  picks  per  inch.  The  warp  and  fillings  are  interlaced  with  a  plain  or  cot- 
ton weave,  except  at  the  points  where  the  heavier  two-ply  filling  is  floated 
over  the  warp  ends  to  form  the  figure. 

It  will  be  readily  understood  that  a  much  wider  range  of  patterns  may 
be  produced  with  a  jacquard  head  than  are  possible  for  the  designer  who 
has  at  most  but  thirty  or  thirty-six  harnesses  at  his  disposal.  It  is  in  the 
latter  case  that  greater  technical  skill  is  demanded,  and  a  surprisingly 
large  variety  of  styles  may  be  developed  by  the  designer  whose  training 
has  been  thorough  along  these  lines.  The  larger  part  of  the  fabrics  of  this 
character  are  produced  by  mills  who  specialize  on  dress  goods,  and  in  most 
instances  spin  their  own  yarns,  as  they  are  thereby  enabled  to  figure  closer 
than  the  mill  that  depends  on  independent  spinners  for  the  yarns  required. 
The  wools  are  sorted  carefully,  the  coarser  and  finer  grades  thrown  into 
suitable  receptacles  to  be  later  used  in  the  manufacture  of  yarns  for  other 
fabrics,  and  the  particular  grade  desired  for  the  production  of  the  fabric  in 
process  is  sent  to  the  scouring  room.  The  ancient  and  honorable  method 
of  wool  scouring,  so  familiar  to  the  older  generation  of  mill  men,  has  in 
these  days  been  almost  entirely  superseded  by  the 

Mechanical  Wool  Washer, 

a  machine  which  will  permit  of  two  men  thoroughly  scouring  10,000  to  3  2,- 
000  pounds  of  wool  daily.  The  clean  wool  is  then  dried  and  sent  to  the  card 
room,  where  it  is  put  through  a  worsted  card,  usually  of  three  cylinders, 
from  which  it  comes  in  the  form  of  a  continuous  sliver  and  is  rolled  on  a 
spindle  by  the  balling  head.  After  passing  through  the  preparing  gill  boxes, 
the  slubbing  is  put  on  the  ''punch  box"  and  rolled  into  balls  of  four  ends 
each,  suitable  for  the  comb. 

The  combing  process  removes  all  the  short  fibres,  seeds,"  shive  and  other 


192  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


foreign  matter,  leaving  only  the  long,  comparatively  straight  fibres  to  be 
drawn  oif  in  the  form  of  "top."  A  peculiar  feature  of  the  Noble  comb  (the 
type  generally  used  in  the  Bradford  system)  is  that  the  fibres  taken  from 
the  large  circle  and  those  from  the  small  ones 

Point  in  Opposite  Directions, 

and  the  longer  fibres  for  the  most  part  lie  on  one  side  of  the  sliver.  The 
gilling  operations  tend  to  correct  the  latter  feature,  and  distribute  the  long 
and  short  fibres  evenly  throughout  the  finished  top.  The  required  size  is  ob  ■ 
tained  by  a  system  of  doubling  and  drawing  explained  in  detail  in  a  former 
article.  The  finished  yarn  for  the  warp  is  placed  on  jack  spools,  for  conven- 
ience in  handling,  and  the  warps  dressed  without  sizing.  The  production 
per  loom  should  show  a  high  average,  as  the  warps  are  strong,  and  the 
texture  such  that  the  yarns  are  not  unduly  strained  in  weaving.  Burling 
and  sewing  are  perform.ed  in  the  customary  manner,  and  the  pieces  sent  to 
the  washers.  It  is  essential  that  fabrics  intended  for  piece  dyeing  should  be 

Thorouglily  Free  from  Soap, 

or  the  coloring  will  be  attended  with  considerable  difficulty  and  uneven 
shacks  will  result.  When  clean,  the  pieces  should  be  crabbed,  an  operation 
requiring  great  care,  as  improper  treatment  in  this  process  will  greatly  in- 
fluence the  success  of  the  dyeing.  In  coloring,  the  usual  procedure  is  to 
run  eight,  ten  or  twelve  pieces  into  the  dye-kettle,  throw  the  ends  over  the 
reel,  sewing  the  ends  of  each  piece  together,  forming  an  endless  band  of 
cloth,  so  that  during  the  dyeing  the  pieces  are  constantly  changing  posi- 
tion, each  section  of  the  cloth  being  part  of  the  time  in  the  dye-bath  and 
part  of  the  time  exposed  in  its  passage  over  the  reel.  When  the  desired 
color  has  been  obtained,  draw  off  the  kettle,  cool  and  rinse  the  pieces,  ex- 
tract and  dry  at  a  moderate  temperature. 

When  dry,  brush  and  shear,  or  singe  to  remove  the  long  hairs,  as  the 
finished  goods  should  be  as  clear  as  the  nature  of  the  pattern  will  permit. 
Brush  and  inspect,  then  if  necessary  take  to  the  fine  sewers,  where  im- 
perfections hitherto  neglected  may  be  repaired.  The  goods  are  how  ready 
for  the  press,  and  should  be  run  through  with  moderate  pressure,  the  steam 
registering  60  to  70  pounds.  A  final  inspection  and  the  goods  are  ready  to 
be  rolled  up  for  casing. 


LAYOUT. 

2,240  ends;  17^  reed,  2  per  dent  =  64"  4- 
IV2"  lor  listing  =  65.5"  over  all. 

36  picks. 

Warp: 

W^hite  2/32  blood. 

Fi' ling-: 

V^hite   2/20    14    blood   1  I  1 

VV^hite   1/20    14    blood   1    I  1 


2 

CALCULATIONS. 
2.240    ends    2/32    =    4   oz.    4-  10% 

take-up   =  4.44  oz. 

18X65.5 

18  picks  2/20  =   =  3.37  oz. 

20X560-T-2-i-16 


18X65.5 

18  picks  1/20  =    =    1.68  oz. 

20X  560^16   

9.49  oz. 

4.44  oz.  +  71/2%  waste   =    4.80  oz. 

3.37  oz.    +     5%  waste   =    3.55  oz. 

1.68  oz.  +     5%  waste   =    1.73  oz. 

COST. 

4.8  oz.   ffi!  70c.  per  lb  =  $  .210 

3.55  oz.   @   64c.  per  lb  =  .142 

1.73  oz.        60c.  per  lb  =  .065 


Cost  of  stock    $  .417 

Manufacturing,   36  picks  =  .218 


Net  mill   cost    $  .635 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  193 


WORSTED  DIAGONAL  DRESS  GOODS 

The  remark  is  frequently  heard,  that  woolen  goods  are  made  in  the 
finishing  room.  While  this  is  true  to  a  certain  extent  of  all  types  of 
woolens,  it  especially  applies  to  the  large  variety  of  fabrics  with  a  close, 
smooth  finish,  generally  known  as  "face  goods."  The  reverse  is  the  case 
with  most  of  the  worsteds,  both  men's  wear  and  dress  goods,  they  must  be 
"made  in  the  loom"  very  largely,  as  they  do  not  undergo  such  a  radical 
change  of  appearance  during  the  process  of  finishing.  It  must  not  be  in- 
ferred that 

Worsted  Finishing 

is  an  extremely  simple  process,  or  one  that  does  not  require  the  services 
of  a  skillful  overseer,  as  lack  of  care  and  attention  in  this  department 
often  means  making  "seconds"  out  of  pieces  that  with  correct  handling 
would  have  been  perfect.  The  weaving  of  these  goods  must  be  well  done 
in  order  to  avoid  an  excessive  amount  of  sewing  and  mending.  There 
are  two  very  great  advantages  in  using  worsted  for  the  manufacture  of 
dress  fabrics.  First,  it  is  possible  to  obtain  clearer  designs  with  sharp 
outlines  and  clear  cut  patterns,  and  also  to  produce  a  fabric  that  will  be 
serviceable  at  a  much  lighter  weight  than  those  made  from  woolen 
yarns. 

The  finer  qualities  of  diagonals  are  made  of  fine  high-grade  wools  spun 
to  high  counts  and  used  twofold  •  for  warp,  while  the  filling  is  spun  from 
the  same  grade  of  stock,  but  in  coarser  counts  and  is  used  single.  The 
lower  priced  fabrics  are  made  from  coarser  stock  and  usually  single  yarns 
for  both  warp  and  weft.  Single  yarns  are  not  nearly  as  smooth  as  the 
two-ply  and  require  very  careful  handling  in  the  dressing  and  weaving 
departments,  if  good  results  are  to  be  obtained. 

To  Prevent  Undue  Chafing 

of  the  threads  during  the  weaving,  the  warps  have  a  thorough  application 
of  a  fairly  heavy  and  well  penetrating  size  in  the  dresser.  It  is  not  well 
to  use  too  few  harnesses,  as  the  consequent  crowding  of  the  heddles  will 
cause  the  threads  to  break  from  excessive  chafing,  causing  less  produc- 
tion and  greater  expense  in  the  sewing  room.  The  reed  must  be  fine 
enough  to  beat  the  pick  home  firmly  without  cutting  the  filling  or  giving 
the  cloth  a  striped  appearance,  due  to  using  a  reed  so  coarse  as  to  allow 
the  warp  threads  to  become  too  much  separated  with  an  empty  space  in 
front  of  each  wire.  After  weaving,  the  gOods  should  be  carefully  inspected 
and  all  damages  marked  with  chalk  so  that  the  menders  may  be  able  to 
spend  their  whole  time  in  repairing  imperfections,  instead  of  wasting  valu- 
able hours  in  looking  for  places  that  need  their  attention. 

After  Burling  and  Sewing 

the  goods  are  scoured  with  a  light  neutral  soap,  carefully  rinsed,  extracted 
and  sent  to  the  crabbing  machine.  For  goods  of  this  character  there  is 
nothing  more  satisfactory  than  a  continuous  crabbing  machine,  which 
takes  the  goods  at  one  end,  gives  them  a  thorough  treatment  and  delivers 
them  at  the  other  on  rolls.  Better  results  are  obtained  if  the  goods  are 
allowed  to  remain  on  the  rolls  over  night,  and  should  be  turned  end  for 
end  at  least  once  to  avoid  having  the  water  settle  at  one  side  of  the  piece. 
If  the  pieces  are  thoroughly  cleaned  and  free  from  soap,  the  dyer  should 
have  no  diflSculty  in  bringing  the  pieces  out  even.  The  tub  must  not  be 
crowded  and  it  is  important  that  the  steam  pipes  be  so  arranged  that  the 
water  is  heated  evenly  all  over  the  tub,  After  a  thorough  rinsing  the  goods 


194 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


are  dried  in  the  usual  manner  and  are  given  a  run  on  the  sanding  machine 
to  raise  the  loose  fibres 

Previous  to  Shearing. 

The  shear  must  be  in  good  condition,  as  it  is  necessary  to  clean  the  face 
of  the  goods  from  all  nap  and  loose  fibre.  When  this  is  done  properly, 
every  thread  stands  out  clear  and  distinct  so  that  the  beauty  of  the  texture 
and  design  is  brought  out  to  its  fullest  extent.  Because  of  the  clear  finish 
which  is  required  on  goods  of  this  type,  it  is  impossible  to  so  manipulate 
them  in  finishing  as  to  cover  up  defects  in  the  manufacture.  Every  thread 
must  be  in  its  place  showing  up  clear  and  round,  or  the  effect  which  the 
designer  has  tried  to  bring  out  is  marred.  The  goods  should  again  be  in- 
spected, imperfections  mended  that  have  escaped  hitherto,  and  after  a  run 
on  the  brush  they  are  ready  for  pressing. 


FRONT. 

□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■dDBHhistin^ 

■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□□■■□a  1  ^'^^'""^ 

■■■■■□□■■■■■■□□■■■■■□□■□□■□a 
■■■□□■■■■■■□□■■■■■□□■□□■□□■a 

□■■■■■■□□■■■■■□□■□□■□□■■■■■a 
■■■■■□□■■■■■□□■□□■□□■■■■■□□a 

■□□■■■■■□□■□□■□□■■■■■□□■■■■a 
□■■■■■□□■□□■□□■■■■■□□■■■■■■a 

■■□□■□□■□□■■■■■□□■■aHHa^DBHa 

Layout: 

Warp,  3,840  ends  1/24;  reed  15/2 — 4  =  62  V^" 

+  IV2"  for  listing  =  64"  over  all. 
Filling,   90  picks  1/32. 
Finished  width  52". 
Finished  weight  9  oz. 


CALCULATIONS. 
3,840  ends  1/24  =  4.57  oz.   +  5% 

take-up   =    4.79  oz. 

64  X  90 

90  picks    =    5.10  02. 

32  X  560  16 

Loom  weight   9.89  oz. 

5%  waste   49  02. 

10.38  oz. 

COST. 

10.38  oz.  @   68c.  per  lb  =  $  .441 

Manufacturing,    90  picks  =  .425 

Mill  cost    $  .866 


WORSTED  CHEVIOT  CLOAKINGS 

Cheviots  for  ladies'  coatings  are  usually  coarse,  rough  appearing  fabrics 
with  warp  and  filling  of  contrasting  colors  or  with  a  more  or  less  pro- 
nounced pattern.  They  derive  their  name  from  the  resemblance  to  the  fab- 
rics which  were  originally  made  from  wool  sheared  from  the  sheep  raised 
on  the  Cheviot  Hills,  which  was  rather  coarse  and  curly.  The  desired  effect 
can  be  obtained  by  a  selection  of  yarns  not  too  low  in  grade  and  proper 
treatment  in  process  of  manufacture.  The  ideal  cheviot  is  neither  sleazy 
nor  tight,  has  a  fairly  thick,  curly  nap  with  sufficient  felt  to  retain  its  posi- 
tion without  becoming  rough  and  shaggy,  but  not  so  heavy  as  to  obscure  the 
pattern  too  much. 

The  Selections  of  Wool. 

A  very  satisfactory  yarn  for  this  class  of  fabrics  is  combed  from  Mis- 
souri quarter-bloods,  which  give  bright,  snappy  colors  and  a  very  good 
handle  in  the  finished  cloth.  To  obtain  the  finish  peculiar  to  this  class 
of  goods,  it  is  necessary  that  they  be  woven  sufficiently  wide  to  allow  for 
fulling  in  width.  If  woven  narrow  enough  to  come  to  the  proper  width  in 
scouring,  the  nap  will  not  be  sufficient  to  finish  up  as  desired.  The  best 
results  are  acquired  by  laying  the  warp  from  four  to  six  inches  wider  in 
the  reed  than  for  clear  finished  fabrics.  The  burling  and  mending  are 
done  in  the  usual  manner,  and  the  pieces  are  then  run  into  the  fulling  mill. 
None  but  the  best  materials  should  be  used  in  fulling.  Soap  should  be 
free  from  impurities  of  all  kinds,  especially  should  the  presence  of  free 
caustic  alkali  be  guarded  against.  It  is  very  readily  detected  by  a  simple 
test.    A  drop  of  phenol  phthalein  placed  on  the  soap  will  betray  it  at  once 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  195 


by  the  pink  color  developed.  The  wool  fibre  can  be  dissolved  entirely  by  a 
solution  of  harsh  alkali  and  a  weaker  solution  has  a  tendency 

To  Injure  the  Fibre, 

rendering  it  brittle  and  giving  the  goods  a  harsh  "unkindly"  touch.  A  pure 
palm  oil  soap,  absolutely  neutral,  is  the  best  to  use  on  this  class  of  goods. 
After  fulling  to  width,  the  pieces  are  run  into  the  washer  with  lukewarm 
water  and  washed  for  twenty  to  thirty  minutes,  the  dirty  suds  washed  out 
and  then  given  a  good  rinsing  in  cold  water.  If  there  is  any  doubt  as  to 
their  being  clean  they  should  have  another  washing  with  one  pail  of  soap 
to  each  piece,  followed  by  a  thorough  rinsing  that  will  remove  every  trace 
of  soap.  Five  minutes  in  the  extractor  should  be  sufficient  to  prepare  the 
goods  for  the  dryer.  Drying  in  the  open  air  is  very  much  to  be  preferred 
if  practicable,  as  the  goods  will  handle  much  better.  If  necessary  to  dry 
artificially,  do  not  hurry  the  process,  as  excessive  heat,  particularly  in  com- 
bination with  moisture,  has  a  very  injurious  effect.  The  shearing  of 
these  goods  consists  merely  of  cropping  off  the  longer  fibres  that  the  fin- 
ished goods  may  not  have  a  shaggy  appearance,  but  a  nap  of  even  length 
throughout.    A  light  steaming  after  pressing  is  beneficial. 

COST. 


Layout: 

1,920  reed  14 — 2  =  681/2"  +  IV2"  for  list- 
ing =  70"  over  all. 

V^arp,   1,920  ends   2/15   purple  = 

7.31  oz.  +  10%  take-up  =    8.04  oz. 

Filling,   28    picks    2/15    black  = 
28  X  70 


15.50  oz.  -1-5%  waste  =  16.27  oz. 

@    68c.   per  lb  =    $  .691 

Manufacturing   cost   =  .285 


Net  cost   

Six  harness,  straight  draw. 


$  .976 


71/2  X  560  -V-  16 


.  =    7.46  oz. 


Loom  weight   =  15.50  oz. 


WHIPCORDS 

Fabrics  known  as  whipcords  are  steep  twill  diagonals  in  which  the 
warp  is  floated  over  several  picks  of  filling  in  such  a  manner  as  to  throw 
it  on  the  surface  in  a  decided  roll.  The  finished  goods  have  the  appear- 
ance of  well  twisted  cords  laid  diagonally  on  a  plain  surface.  To  get  good 
results  in  fabrics  of  this  nature  the  warp  should  be  dressed  of  two-ply 
yarns.  The  filling  may  be,  and  invariably  is,  used  single  in  dress  goods  of 
this  weave.  These  cloths  are  not  difficult  to  produce,  as  the  warp,  being 
of  two-ply  yarns,  is  smooth  and  strong,  the  weave  not  hard  on  the  thread, 
nor  are  they  apt  to  give  trouble  in  the  finishing  room.  The 

Major  Part  of  the  Dress  Goods 

in  this  fabric  is  made  of  quarter-blood  yarns  and  has  a  rather  harsh  touch. 
The  dressing  may  be  done  on  a  dry  frame,  that  is,  one  that  has  no  sizing 
attachments,  as  there  will  be  no  danger  of  chafing  in  the  loom,  with  threads 
broken  from  that  cause.  In  the  finishing  rootn  this  class  of  goods  will  be 
found  to  require  comparatively  little  mending  and  ordinary  care  should 
give  excellent  results.  The  burling  should  be  carefully  attended  to,  all  the 
knots  raised,  slugs,  etc.,  removed.  After  mending,  the  goods  are  scoured, 
dried  and 

Taken  to  the  Polisher. 

This  machine  has  two  rolls  covered  with  sandpaper  and  two  filled  with 
bristles.  By  means  of  suitable  guide  rolls  the  cloth  is  given  more  or  less 
contact  with  each  roll  twice  while  passing  through.  Ordinarily  one  run 
will  loosen  up  the  loose  fibres  sufficiently  for  the  raising  brush  on  the 


1^6  WOOLiEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


shear  to  lift  them  into  such  a  position  that  they  will  be  cleaned  off  nicely 
by  the  revolving  blade.  After  shearing,  a  run  on  the  steam  brush  will 
put  the  goods  in  good  condition  for  the  press.  Run  through  the  press 
with  the  face  to  the  cylinder,  rolling  them  as  they  come  off,  and  allow  them 
to  cool  off  on  the  roll  before  inspecting. 

FRONT.  CALCULATIONS. 

ggsgsssggssgsssgggs:^'-^         ''tike       ^  esooz 

60  X  65 

□■■■■■□□■□□■■■■■□□■a  60  picks   =    4.68  oz. 

□□■□□■■■■■□□■□□■■■■H   

■□□■•■■■■□□■□□■■■■■□D  Loom  weight   =  11.07  oz. 

□■■■«■□□■□□■■■■■■□□■□  nc/„    waste                                            —        f^f^  oz 

■■■■□□■□□■■■■■□□■□uB  ^ waste   —  oz. 

11.62  oz. 

COST. 

Layout*  ^-^^         +  5%  waste  =  6.7  oz.  @ 

„  ,  „,  ,  80c.  per  lb  =    $  .335 

3  840    ends    2/36S    %    blood.  4  68         +  5%  waste  =  4.9  oz.  @ 

t^Fa''^^^^^^^^  J^^^K^'^A^-      aA"   j_   11/''   f  68c.  peT  lb.    .  .207 

3,840   ends  reed   15 — 4   =   64"   +   IV2  ■  for  ^   

listing  =  over  all.  I  542 

Finished  width  52".  Manufacturing,  60  picks  =  !300 

Finished  weight  10  oz.  ^'  ^   

Net   cost    $  .842 


WORSTED  CHEVIOT  MEN'S  WEAR 

A  particularly  good  example  of  worsted  cheviot  for  men's  wear  has  a 
somewhat  different  construction  than  the  ordinary  type.  Instead  of  using 
a  yarn  spun  to  low  counts  for  the  warp,  two  threads  of  a  finer  number 
are  drawn  on  one  shaft.  The  filling  is  woven  one  pick  in  a  shade,  the  size 
used  being  the  same  as  that  for  the  warp.  This  arrangement,  apparently, 
would  produce  a  badly  balanced  fabric,  but  this  is  not  the  result  in  the 
fabric  here  described.  The  resultant  cloth  is  particularly  kindly  in  handle 
and  has  the  flat  indistinct  twill  especially  sought  for  in  this  type  of  goods. 
This  type  of  construction 

Prevents  the  Harshness 

that  would  result  from  the  use  of  lower  count  threads  and  gives  a  cloth 
that  plump  to  the  touch  without  being  bulky  and  l,  fabric  that  is  a  pleasure 
to  tailor,  keeping  its  shape  to  a  remarkable  degree.  The  yarns  are  not 
twisted  quite  as  hard  as  for  clear  finished  goods,  having  two  turns  to  the 
inch  less  than  regular  twist  for  this  size. 


16  Harness  Straight  Draw. 

Qi  ■■□□□□■■■■□□□□El 

r  ■■■■□□□□■■■■ZC'DD 


Layout t 

Warp,    4,480    ends   2/24  mixture. 

Reed,  16 14    X4  =  69"   +   IV2"  lor  listing 

=    70 1/2"  over  all. 
Filling,   38  picks  2/24  mixture. 


CALCULATIONS. 

4,480    ends   2/24s    =    10.66    oz.  + 

10%  take-up   =  11.72  oz. 

38  X  70.5 

   =    6.61  oz. 

24  X  560  -J-  16  2 

Loom  weight    18.33  oz. 

COST. 

18.33  oz.   +   7%  waste  =  19.6  oz. 

@    82c.   per  lb  =  $1,004 

Manufacturing  cost   =  .3496 

$1.3536 

5%  loss  in  length  =  .0677 

Cost  to  mill   =  $1.4213 

Finished  weight  17-17V2  oz. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


197 


NOVELTY  CHEVIOT 

Among  the  many  cheviots  offered  by  the  manufacturers  this  season  we 
have  selected  for  analysis  two  which  present  some  novel  features  in  their 
construction.  The  special  feature  to  which  attention  is  called  in  the  first 
example  is  the  ingenious  use  of  a  double  and  twist  thread  in  combination 
with  a  mock  twist  and  a  knot  yarn  to  give  character  and  life  to  a  style 
which  would  be  flat  and  lifeless  without  these  aids.  The  stock  used  in  both 
these  is  a  combination  of  low-grade  wool  and  shoddy,  with  a  single  worsted 
to  produce  the  knot  effect.  Every  thread  necessary  to  produce  these  goods 
can  be  made  in  the  ordinary  fancy  cassimere  mill,  aside  from  the  worsted 
for  the  knot.  Contrary  to  the  usual  custom  of  using  a  cotton  or  worsted 
thread  for  the  core  yarn  of  the  novelty  thread,  the  manufacturer  has  twisted 
the  knotting  thread  on  a  woolen  yarn  of  his  own  making,  thus  obviating  the 
tiresome,  and  at  times  expensive,  delays  incident  to  the  purchase  of  such 
threads.  The  machinery  needed  for  the  making  of  the  knot  yarn  is  not 
intricate,  nor  difficult  to  operate.  It  can  be  readily  attached  to  nearly  all 
of  the  modern  types  of  twisters  for  woolen  and  worsted  mills.  It 

Differs  from  the  Twisters  in  General  Use 

for  making  ordinary  ply  yarns  in  having  a  set  of  rolls 
for  each  thread,  which  may  be  operated  at  various  speeds  as 
the  requirements  of  the  case  may  demand.  In  addition,  there  is  a  rod,  held 
in  suitable  bearings,  attached  to  the  underside  of  the  top  frame,  which  is 
actuated  by  connectors  to  a  push  rod,  which  in  turn  receives  its  motion  from 
a  cam  driven  by  a  belt  from  a  pulley  on  an  extension  of  one  of  the  roller 
shafts.  Projecting  from  the  rod  are  pins  equal  in  number  to  the  spindles 
of  the  twister,  and  when  at  rest  are  at  a  slight  angle  above  the  horizontal 
beside  the  thread  in  its  course  from  the  guide  wire  to  the  traveler.  The  rev- 
olution of  the  cam  gives  a  reciprocating  vertical  motion  to  the  pins, 
which,  in  their  downward  travel,  is  very  nearly  equal  in  speed  to  that  of  the 
core  yarn.  The  thread  forming  the  knot  is  delivered  at  a  speed  greater 
than  that  of  the  core  yarn  passing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  pin.  In  opera- 
tion, the  resulting  effect  is  to  twist  the  knot  yarn  around  the  core,  form- 
ing a  lump  or  knot  during  the  downward  travel  of  the  pin,  while  the  return 
of  the  pin  at  a  much  greater  speed  gives  but  few  turns  of  the  knot  around 
the  core.  By  a  change  of  the  cams  the  knots  can  be  placed  at  varying  in- 
tervals, and  the  size  of  the  knot  governed  to  a  certain  extent  by  the  speed 
of  the  delivery  rolls  carrying  the  knot  thread.  It  may  be  necessary  to  use 
various  sizes  of  yarns  to  produce  the  correct  size  of  knot  for  fabrics  of  dif- 
ferent weights  and  textures.  This  is  a  matter  that  will  largely  depend  on 
experience  and  the  effect  which  the  designer  intends  to  produce.  The  two- 
ply  thread  is  made  on  an  ordinary  twister,  or  can  be  made  on  a  mule  if 
found  desirable.  The 

Mock  Twist 

requires  the  use  of  a  balling  head  on  the  second  break- 
er and  a  creel  for  the  back  of  the  finisher  card.  The  col- 
ors it  is  desired  to  blend  in  the  mock  twist  are  put  through  the  first  and 
second  breakers  as  separate  lots  and  made  into  balls.  On  the  finisher,  the 
balls  are  put  into  the  creel  in  such  a  manner  that  ends  of  alternate  colors 
are  drawn  through  the  comb.  In  operation,  it  will  require  some  care  to  have 
the  comb  register  exactly  with  the  rings  of  the  doffer,  so  as  to  deliver  as 
nearly  as  possible  equal  amounts  of  the  two  colors  to  each  ring.  The  ob- 
ject to  be  obtained  is  a  web  on  the  ring  that  shall  be  black  on  one  side  and 
a  complementary  color  on  the  other,  so  that  the  roving  when  spun  will 
form  a  thread  having  a  very  close*  approach  in  appearance  to  a  double  and 


198 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


twist  of  contrasting  colors.  The  successful  production  of  these  mock  twists 
will  test  the  skill  of  the  carder  to  quite  an  extent,  but  the  results  which  it 
is  possible  to  secure  are  well  worth  striving  for.  It  is  only  by  the  use  of 
processes  which  are  not  possibilities  for  the  poor  workman  that  a  superior 
man  is  able  to  demonstrate  his  ability.  In  the  time  of  extremely  acute  com- 
petition, there  is  still  a  practically  unlimited  field  for  the  mill  with  new 
ideas  and  novel  effects,  which  has  an  organization  competent  to  put  them 
on  the  market,  with  a  certainty  of  being  able  to  reproduce  exactly  in  the 
merchandise  delivered  the  identical  duplicate  of  the  selling  samples.  In  or- 
der to  accomplish  this,  it  will  be 

Necessary  to  Keep  Exact  Records 

of  details  in  every  department.  There  is  too  great  a  tendency  for  overseers 
to  trust  to  memory  as  to  just  the  treatment  given  the  various  fabrics  at 
certain  stages;  departures  from  the  usual  routine  are  at  times  forgotten, 
with  the  result  that  the  finished  fabric  differs  somewhat  from  the  reference 
sample.  The  weave  employed  is  the  plain  or  cotton  one,  and  the  warp  is 
drawn  straight  on  four  harnesses.  The  yarns  are  coarse  and  should  pro- 
duce rapidly,  the  size  of  the  threads  and  the  weave  used  combining  to  make 
a  firm  fabric  in  spite  of  the  low  texture. 


Layout: 

1,064  ends;  reed  8 — 2  =  66V2"  +  l^^"  for 

listing-  =  68"  over  all. 
20  picks. 

Finished   width  54". 
Finished  weight  17  Vz  oz. 

Dressed: 

1  black  and  grey  mock  twist. 

1  black  and  purple  knot. 

2  ends. 
Woven: 

1  dark  blue  3 1^  run  double  and  twist. 

1  black  and  purple  knot. 

2  picks 

CALCULATIONS 
532  ends  1 1/2  run  =  3.55  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =  3.90  oz. 

532  ends  11/2   and  2/36  knot  =  5.19 

oz.   +  10%  take-up   =  5.71  oz. 

10  picks  3  run,  double  and  twist.. =  4.53  oz. 

10   picks  11/2   and  2/36  knot  =  6.69  oz. 


COST. 


60%    wool    @    40c.   per  lb.    =  12.75 

oz.  @  2y2C  =     $  .319 

40%   shoddy   @    16c.  per  lb.   =  7.09 

oz.  @  Ic  ==  .071 

3.8    oz.    worsted    +    .03%  shrinkage 

=  3.92  oz.   @  5%c  =  .228 


Cost  of  stock    $  .618 

Manufacturing-    .220 

Extra  for  twist    .100 


Mill  cost    $  .938 


Loom  weight    20.83  oz. 

A  very  neat  style  can  be  made  on  the  same  warp  by  a  change  in  the  fillings 
used.  The  knot  in  the  filling  should  be  of  orange  worsted  and  the  two-ply 
wool  black  instead  of  dark  blue. 

Another  novelty  which  should  prove  popular  is  made  without  the  knot 
yarn,  using  a  plain  wool  and  worsted  twist  about  three  turns  to  the  inch  for 
the  effect  thread.  The  arrangement  of  the  warp  threads  is  somewhat  un- 
usual, the  dressing  being  as  follows:  One  double  and  twist  wool  mixture, 
one  single  wool,  one  black  wool  and  red  worsted  twist,  the  latter  two 
threads  working  together. 

8  i 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


199 


The  filling  on  this  style  is  entirely  of  double  and  twist  wool.  The  mix- 
tures in  the  sample  are  5  per  cent  white,  95  per  cent  black,  both  warp  and 
filling,  the  effect  produced  being  a  plain  grey  surface  picked  out  with  fine  spots 
of  red.  From  the  description  it  might  be  thought  that  the  effect  would  be 
raw  and  glaring,  but  the  reverse  is  the  case.  The  style  shows  a  very  pleas- 
ing appearance,  and  in  the  tailored  garment  is  extremely  neat.  The  tight- 
ness of  the  weave  in  these  cloths  makes  it  necessary  to  reed  these  some- 
what narrower  in  the  loom  than  ordinary  cheviots  or  cassimeres,  as  they 
do  not  require  long  fulling  to  obtain  the  desired  effect.  If  the  yarns  are 
well  carded  and  spun,  there  should  be  a  large  production  from  the  loom 
with  a  correspondingly  low  overhead  charge  for  manufacturing. 


NIGGERHEADS 

The  fabrics  known  as  ''Niggerheads"  this  season  are  very  different  from 
the  cloths  familiarly  known  by  that  name  some  twenty  years  ago.  We 
have  selected  for  the  purpose  of  analysis  and  description  one  of  the  nov- 
elties which  is  being  marketed  very  freely  the  present  season.  In  common 
with  many  of  the  various  new  styles  shown  this  fall,  it  is  especially  adapted 
for  use  in  ladies'  coats,  although  in  a  slightly  amended  construction  in 
heavier  weights  would  prove  a  very  suitable  cloth  for  overcoatings.  There 
are  unusual  opportunities  afforded  for  the  skillful  manufacturer  to  copy 
cloths  of  this  sort  in  cheaper  fabrics,  and  a  careful  manipulation  of  the 
stock  will  give  very  satisfactory  results  at  a  very  low  cost.  To  the  ordinary 
buyer  there  would  appear  to  be  practically  no  difference  in  garments  made 
from  either  fabric.  By  close  watch  of  the  markets  and  good  judgment  as 
to  style  value,  many  of  the  smaller  mills  are  able  to  operate  continuously 
on  these  novelty  cloths,  and  incidentally  earn  very  handsome  profits.  Given 
the 

Style  and  Colorings, 

the  intrinsic  value  of  the  goods  is  a  minor  consider- 
ation, as  the  demand  is  for  "something  new"  each  season.  To  obtain  the 
best  results  in  this  cloth,  there  should  be  an  intelligent  selection  of  the 
wools  used  for  the  fillings,  the  warp  yarns  being  of  relatively  minor  impor- 
tance, as  the  cloth  is  essentially  a  "filling  face"  fabric.  The  effect  which  is 
to  be  produced  requires  a  lustrous,  long-staple  wool,  spun  to  low  counts, 
which  will  form  loops  on  the  face  of  the  goods.  These  yarns  are  usually 
made  from  wools  such  as  the  Lincoln  lusters,  New  Zealand  crossbreds  or 
some  of  the  bright,  lustrous  South  Americans.  The  dressing  and  weaving 
of  these  cloths  are  attended  with  no  unusual  diflaculties,  and  the  dry  finishing 
before  fulling  is  unusually  easy.  A  thread  out  is  of  no  great  consequence 
although  carelessness  in  this  respect  should  not  be  allowed,  as  the  weavers 
are  very  prone  to  become  lax  and  indifferent  when  fabrics  requiring  care 
are  in  the  looms.  Before  fulling  the  goods  should  be  "tacked,"  that  is  the 
edges  sewn  together  with  the  face  inside,  as  experience  has  shown  that 
more  even  fulling  can  be  obtained  in  this  way.  It  will  be  necessary  to  use 
great 

Care  In  Soaping 

the  pieces,  so  that  they  may  have  an  even  application  of  soap  on  all  parts. 
A  soaping  machine  will  give  much  better  results  than  the  old-fashioned  sys- 
tem of  throwing  the  soap  into  the  bottom  of  the  mill  to  be  wiped  up  by 
the  cloth,  or  of  filling  the  soap  boxes  at  the  back  and  allowing  the  soap  to 
work  in  by  degrees.  Probably  the  greatest  difllculty  encountered  by  finish- 
ers in  the  production  of  goods  of  this  type  is  the  tendency  to  form  mill 
wrinkles  or  to  full  unevenly.  The  pieces  should  be  examined  occasionally 
during  fulling,  and  if  any  tendency  in  this  direction  is  noted,  it  can  usually 


200 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


be  overcome  by  taking  the  goods  out  and  shaking  them  thoroughly  or 
stretching  them  well  in  the  width.  Do  not  full  to  the  finished  width,  as  the 
washing  and  subsequent  finishing  operations  all  have  a  tendency  to  make 
the  goods  narrower.  For  the  particular  cloth  under  discussion,  it  would  be 
well  to  allow  at  least  two  inches  for  future  shrinkage.  During  the  washing 
the  goods  will  usually  be  found  to  full  up  to  nearly  the  desired  finished 
width,  and  should  be  tentered  on  the  dryer  to  measure  an  inch  and  a  haK 
over  the  width  required.  One  run  on  the  shear  to  crop  off  the  long,  loose 
fibres  is  all  that  will  be  found  necessary.  These  goods  may  be  pressed  face 
to  the  bed  at  a  moderate  pressure,  to  add  to  the  luster,  which  is  one  of  the 
chief  features  of  goods  of  this  character. 

Layout:  18  harness,  straight  draw. 

listing  =  11V2    over  all.  • 
32   picks.  n 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,520  ends  2/24s  =  5.5  oz.  +  10%  ^ 

take-up   =    6.05  oz. 

32  X  71.5 

32  picks  l/6s   '■   =  10.90  oz.  COST. 

T^™   woio-Sf^  1ft  or;  ^.05  OZ.   +  5%  waste  =  6.35  oz.  @ 

Loom  weight    16.95  oz.   ^  ^  g^^^j 

^.  .  ,    ,        .         -ir  10-9   oz.    +    5%    waste   =   11.15  oz. 

Finished  weight  15  oz.  @   80c.  per  lb  5575 

Finished  width  54".  .  

$  .9125 

Manufacturing   3136 

Mill  cost   $1.2261 

There  are  many  methods  which  may  be  employed  to  produce  a  fabric 
which  in  appearance  would  approximate  the  foregoing  example.  The  yarns 
used  in  the  illustration  are  of  better  grade  than  would  be  required  for  a 
low-priced  fabric.  We  have  used  for  fillings  a  first-class  Lincoln  luster 
stock,  while  for  a  cheaper  cloth  it  is  customary  to  employ  yarns  spun  from 
the  cheaper  grades,  even  the  common  and  braid  finding  an  outlet  in  fabrics 
similar  to  this,  but  lacking  the  handle  and  luster.  For  the  warp,  a  cotton 
thread  may  be  used,  which  can  be  either  purchased  in  the  open  market  or 
made  in  the  mill,  a  ''wool  spun"  cotton,  as  it  is  usually  termed.  Fabrics 
constructed  in  this  manner  are  not  as  satisfactory  as  are  those  made  with 
a  warp  the  chief  constituent  of  which  is  wool;  This  need  not  be  new  wool 
entirely,  but  a  combination  -of  wool  and  shoddy  or  cotton.  As  previously 
stated,  it  is  not  intrinsic  value  alone  which  determines  the  selling  price  of 
novelties  but  the  combination  of  color,  design  and  originality  of  the  style, 
created  in  answer  to  the  ever-present  desire  for  "something  new  and  dif- 
ferent." 


FANCY  WORSTED  SUITINGS  FOR  MEN'S  WEAR 

The  manufacture  of  fancy  worsteds  is  a  branch  of  the  woolen  business 
that  is  of  comparatively  recent  growth.  There  are  many  men  engaged  in  ac- 
tive business  life  to-day  who  can  easily  recall  the  time  when  there  were 
few,  if  any,  mills  in  this  country  producing  goods  of  this  description.  The 
increase  in  the  production  of  goods  from  combed  yarns  has  been  extremely 
rapid  within  the  past  twenty-five  years,  and  at  the  present  time  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  light-weight  fabrics  sold  are  worsteds.  There  are  several 
very  good  reasons  for  the  greater  popularity  of  worsted  goods,  one  of  the 
strongest  being  the  fact  that  goods,  both  for  summer  wear  and  cold  weather, 
have  become  lighter  in  weight.  Scarcely  twenty  years  ago,  the  regular 
weight  for  winter  goods  was  twenty  ounces  and  the  spring  fabrics  weighed 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  201 


sixteen  to  seventeen  ounces  per  yard.  The  present  spring  season  finds  us 
with  nine  to  ten  ounce  worsteds  with  wool  goods  ten  to  eleven.  The  accept- 
ed weight  for  fall  goods  to-day  is  sixteen  ounces,  with  many  mills  showing 
fabrics  for  fall  that  weigh  but  little  over  fourteen  ounces. 

It  is  largely  owing  to  the  fact  that  in  extremely  light  goods,  such  as  the 
trade  demands  at  present,  worsteds  offer  a  more  sightly  and  better  han- 
dling cloth  than  carded  woolens,  that  worsted  manufacturers  are  in  much 
better  position  than  their  competitors  who  make  carded  goods  entirely. 

Another  Feature 

that  appeals  very  strongly  to  many  clothing  buyers  is  the  clean-cut,  snappy 
styles  that  are  brought  out  every  season  by  many  of  our  worsted  mills.  The 
making  of  fancy  men's  wear  from  combed  yarns  is  a  business  requiring  no 
little  skill  and  experience.  To  attain  success  in  this  branch  of  the  business 
requires  an  equipment  that  is  modern  and  skilled  help  in  all  departments  of 
the  mill.  We  do  not  intend  to  go  into  the  details  of  yarn  making,  as  that  is 
a  business  of  itself,  but  simply  to  follow  the  process  from  yarn  to  cloth,  as 
is  the  custom  in  most  of  the  mills  engaged  in  cloth  making.  The  size  most 
extensively  used  for  light-weight  goods  is  2-40s  in  a  fairly  good  quality.  For 
the  clothing  trade,  the  half-blood  is  the  grade  in  probably  the  greatest  de- 
mand. Yarns  are  bought  in  skeins,  and  are  usually  dyed  in  machines,  an 
ordinary  type  in  common  use  holding  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  Dur- 
ing the  dyeing  operation  the  skeins  are  held  in  position  by  two  sticks,  which 
keep  the  yarn  from  tangling  and  move  it  through  the  dye  liquor.  After  dye- 
ing, the  yarn  should  be  well  rinsed  and  extracted  before  going  to  the  dryer. 
Better  results  are  obtained  if  the  yarn  is  dried  by  the 

Cold  Air  Process. 

This  is  accomplished  by  placing  the  yarn  on  wooden  bars,  which  keep 
the  skeins  stretched  during  the  operation.  The  bars  are  placed  in  sockets 
of  a  pair  of  **spiders"  mounted  on  a  shaft,  the  quantity  of  yarn  so  disposed 
as  to  balance  the  machine  and  the  whole  rotated  rapidly  by  means  of  a 
pulley  and  belt  from  the  line  shaft.  Yarns  dried  in  this  manner  will  wind 
with  less  waste  and  give  a  better  handle  to  the  finished  goods  than  the  same 
grade  dried  by  means  of  artificial  heat.  When  thoroughly  dry  the  skeins 
are  ready  for  winding.  There  are  several  types  of  machines  built  for  this 
purpose,  differing  but  slightly,  and  all  accomplishing  the  desired  result  in  a 
somewhat  similar  manner.  The  skeins  are  well  stretched  to  separate  the 
threads  and  mounted  on  a  "swift"  or  "racers,"  as  the  case  may  be,  the 
operator  finds  the  free  end  and  places  it  in  position  to  go  on  a  six-inch 
spool,  which  is  rotated  by  a  drum  or  other  suitable  mechanism.  From  the 
six-inch  spools  the  yarn  is  put  on  dresser  spools  for  the  warp,  or  in  some 
instances,  is  wound  directly  to  bobbins  for  filling.  The  dressing  is,  in  the 
majority  of  cases,  done  on  a  dry  frame,  the  exception  being  very  fine 
or  tender  yarn.  The  operation  requires  a  skilled  hand  and  unremitting 
vigilance,  as  irremediable  damage  may  result  from  lack  of  care  in  the  dress- 
ing department.    The  weaving  of  fancy  worsteds  also 

Requires  a  High  Class  of  Help, 

as  the  work  is  more  difficult  and  complex  than  that  of  a  mill  making 
staples  or  fancy  cassimeres.  This  is  due  in  a  large  measure  to  the  fine 
counts  of  yarn  used,  and  the  greater  variety  of  colors,  as  well  as  the  in- 
tricate crossdraws  that  are  necessary  on  certain  of  the  styles  developed. 
After  weaving,  the  pieces  are  measured  and  inspected  carefully  over  a 
perch,  every  imperfection  marked  for  mending,  the  length,  price  number, 
weaver's  name  and  other  necessary  data  entered  on  the  records.  Burling 
is  the  next  operation,  usually  performed  by  two  girls  seated  at  a  sloping 


202  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

table  with  a  smooth  top,  which  enables  them  to  find  the  knots  more  easily. 
Every  knot  must  be  raised  on  both  sides  of  the  goods,  and  slugs  and  bits  of 
foreign  matter  of  various  kinds  removed  at  this  time.  Threads  out,  broken 
picks,  holes  and  damages  of  a  like  nature  are  repaired  by  the  sewers.  Some 
of  these  become  so  exceedingly  skillful  with  the  needle  that  should  a  piece 
be  cut  out  from  the  cloth  they  are  able  to  insert  another  to  replace  it,  per- 
forming the  operation  so  neatly  that  it  is  impossible  to  discover  the  location 
of  the  repair.  The  goods  are  now  ready  for  the  washer,  a  machine  con- 
sisting of  a  box-like  bottom  part  to  hold  the  scouring  liquor,  with  suitable 
gates  at  each  end  so  that  the  dirty  liquor  may  be  drawn  off.  In  the  upper 
part  are  two  heavy  wooden  rolls,  between  which  the  cloth  passes  under 
heavy  pressure,  the  soapy  water  and  dirt  being  squeezed  out  and  falling 
into  a  trough  under  the  bottom  roll,  which  carries  it  to  an  outlet  on  the 
side  connecting  with  the  sewer.  The  soap  used  for  scouring  fancy  worsteds 
should  be  free  from  impurities  of  all  kinds,  and  should  not  contain  an  ex- 
cess of  moisture.  The  testing  of  soap  is  so  exceedingly  simple  that  there 
is  no  excuse  for  a  manufacturer  accepting  an  inferior  article.    The  most 

Common  Adulterants, 

probably,  are  China  clay  and  sodium  silicate,  or  possibly  resin.  The  test 
for  moisture  requires  no  apparatus  aside  from  the  grain  scales  usually  to 
be  found  in  the  office  or  designing  department.  A  small  quantity  of  soap 
should  be  shaved  into  thin  slices,  carefully  weighed,  thoroughly  dried  and 
again  weighed,  the  variation  in  weight  showing  the  amount  of  moisture 
present.  A  mistaken  idea  is  very  prevalent,  even  among  mill  men  who 
should  be  better  informed,  that  hard  soap  contains  less  moisture  than 
soft  or  crown  soaps,  but  in  many  cases  the  reverse  is  true.  The  difference 
is  in  the  composition,  the  hard  soaps  having  soda  as  a  base,  while  the 
soft  soaps  are  formed  with  potash  in  combination  with  fatty  acids.  The 
test  for  earthy  and  heavy  adulterants  is  also  very  simple.  A  small  quantity 
of  soap  is  dissolved  in  water  and  a  little  sulphuric  acid  added  to  the  solu- 
tion. The  structure  of  the  soap  is  broken  up,  the  heavy  adulterants  fall  to 
the  bottom  of  the  glass,  the  grease  and  resin  floating  on  the  surface.  There 
is  also  danger  of  the  presence  of 

Free  Caustic  Alkali 

unless  precautions  have  been  taken  in  the  manufacture  of  the  soap.  This 
should  be  especially  guarded  against,  as  it  has  an  extremely  deleterious 
effect  upon  the  wool  fibre,  injuring  its  physical  structure  and  detracting 
materially  from  the  handle  of  the  fabric.  The  goods  should  be  run  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes  in  lukewarm  water  with  sufficient  soap  to  raise 
the  dirt  and  oil  freely,  the  quantity  of  soap  to  be  used  varying  with  the 
length  and  weight  of  the  pieces.  The  gates  should  be  opened  and  the  dirty 
liquor  thoroughly  washed  out,  allowing  the  pieces  to  run  with  cold  water 
flowing  into  the  washer  until  every  trace  of  soap  is  removed.  After  ex- 
tracting, the  goods  are  dried  in  the  ordinary  manner,  usually  on  a  ''chain 
dryer,*'  which  holds  them  to  the  desired  width  during  the  process  of  dry- 
ing. Before  shearing,  they  should  be  "back  burled,"  to  make  sure  that  all 
knots  have  been  properly  raised,  then  given  a  few  runs  on  the  polisher, 
which  raises  the  nap  and  loose  ends  in  good  condition  for  shearing.  In 
order  to  obtain  the  clear  finish  that  is  one  of  the  prime  requisites  of  a 
fancy  worsted  it  is  very  essential  that  the  shear  should  be  in 

Perfect  Condition. 

To  bring  out  the  beauty  of  design  and  rich  coloring  to  its  fullest  ef- 
fect, the  shear  must  remove  every  vestige  of  nap  or  loose  fibre,  leaving  the 
thread  full  and  round,  with  the  pattern  clear  and  distinct.   Prom  the  shear 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


203 


the  goods  are  taken  to  the  ''fine  sewers,"  who  repair  any  damages  not  dis- 
covered and  rectified  previously.  This  is  a  task  requiring  the  utmost  skill 
and  patience,  particularly  on  the  finer  grades  of  goods.  Before  pressing, 
the  pieces  are  steam  brushed  and  given  a  run  on  the  dewing  machine,  the 
latter  operation  making  them  hold  the  finish  much  better.  More  satisfac- 
tory results  will  be  obtained  if  the  goods  are  rolled  as  they  come  from  the 
press,  and  allowed  to  become  cold  in  the  roll  before  the  final  inspection. 
The  popular  fabrics  to-day,  for  both  spring  and  fall  wear,  are  single  or 
through  and  through  cloths  instead  of  the  double  ones  that  were  in  vogue 
only  a  few  years  ago.  With  this  construction  there  is  no  opportunity  for 
padding  with  inferior  stock  to  obtain  the  extra  weight  in  fall  goods.  We 
give  below  full  particulars  for  cloths  constructed  on  both  single  and 
double  cloth  systems. 


Layout  for  16-oz.   double  cloth: 

Warp.    7,200   ends;   reed    13  Va — 8    =  66.6" 
+  11/2"  for  listing  =  68"  over  all. 
Filling: 

64  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
7,200   ends   2/40s    =    10.28    oz.  + 

7%  take-up   .=  10.98  oz. 

64  X  68 

64  picks   ....=    6.21  oz. 

40  X  560  -r-  2  -f-  16   

Loom   weight   17.19  oz. 

COST. 

17.19  oz.   +  7%  waste  =  18.38  oz. 

@   90c.  per  lb  =  $1,034 

Manufacturing   =  .435 

Net  cost   $1,469 

Sixteen  harness  straight  draw. 


Layout   for   16-oz.   single  cloth: 

3,360  ends;  reed  121/2 — 4   =   67.2"  + 

for  listing  =  68.7"  over  all. 
54  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,360  ends    2/24s    =    8  oz.   +  10% 

take-up   =    8.80  oz. 

54  X  68.7 

54  picks  •   =    8.80  oz. 

24  X  560  -f-  2  16 

Loom  weight    17.60  oz. 

Plus  5%  waste   =       .88  oz. 

Yarn  required   18.48  oz. 

18.48  oz.  @  75c.  per  lb  =  $  .865 

Manufacturing   =  .410 

Net  cost    $1,275 

Eight  harness,  straight  draw. 


WKAYE. 


WEAVE. 


□□□nBDHDDDnnHHHn 


□■■uD»n 
□□■■□□«■ 


VELOURS 

There  is  a  considerable  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the  precise  cloth 
designated  by  the  term  velour.  Some  of  our  manufacturers  would  class  as 
velours  any  cloth  having  a  soft,  velvety  nap,  while  others  make  finer  dis- 
tinctions, classing  one  as  a  "face-finished  cassimere,*'  a  second  as  a  *'sax~ 
ony,"  with  velour  slightly  different  from  either  of  these.  The  claim  is 
made  that  the  term  properly  belongs  to  a  fabric  which  has  had  the  nap 
raised  by  gigging,  and  is  not  rightfully  applied  to  cloths  which  owe  their 
nap  entirely  to  the  fulling  process.  To  obtain  satisfactory  results  in  the 
manufacture  of  fabrics  of  this  character  the  selection  of  the  wools  to  be 
used  is  a  very  important  detail,  as  the  finish  desired  is  affected  very  ma- 
terially by  the  stock  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  yarns.  The  wool 
should  be  fine,  with  a  good  capacity  for  felting,  not  too  long  in  staple  and 


204 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  good  strength,  shorn  wools  being  much  better  than  pulled  wools  for  sev- 
eral reasons.  The  wool  shorn  from  the  living  animal  is  stronger  and  pos- 
sesses more  life  and  elasticity  than  that  pulled  from  pelts  of  animals  that 
have  been  dead  for  some  time,  and  has  not  been  subjected  to  the  action  of 
harsh  chemicals  used  in  the  process  of  pulling. 

The  scouring  of  the  wool  should  be  carefully  done,  and  no  harsh  al- 
kalies used  as  detergents.  Untold  harm  may  be  done  by  improper  scouring 
or  the  use  of  impure  materials  in  the  process.  A  pure  potash  soap  and 
soft  water  are  the  prime  necessities  in  wool  scouring,  and  care  must  be 
taken  to  insure  the  use  of  a  scouring  liquor  that  is  not  too  hot;  in  no 
case  should  the  scouring  bath  be  warmer  than  125  to  130  degrees  Fahren- 
heit. Excessive  heat  and  impure  materials  have  been  the  means  of  caus- 
ing difficulties  in  subsequent  operations  that  are  well-nigh  insuperable. 
With  well-selected  stock,  thoroughly  cleansed  from  Impurities,  the  carding 
and  spinning  operations  should  encounter  no  difficulties,  and  yarns  spun 
from  such  stock  will  be  sound,  even  and  strong,  giving 

Excellent  Results  in  the  Weave  Roon^ 

in  the  way  of  production,  with  a  minimum  amount  of  broken 
ends  or  picks.  The  goods  must  be  well  burled,  all  knots  raised  and 
clipped  off,  leaving  the  ends  long  enough  so  that  in  the  fulling  they  will 
not  shrink  back  and  leave  a  hole.  After  sewing,  the  goods  are  ready  for 
the  fulling  mill,  and  must  be  evenly  soaped.  This  is  a  matter  of  seemingly 
minor  importance,  but  much  depends  upon  the  even  distribution  of  the 
soap  over  every  part  of  the  piece.  It  will  be  necessary  to  full  the  goods 
endwise  as  well  as  in  width  to  get  the  best  results.  On  fine  goods  five 
per  cent  should  be  sufficient  to  give  a  satisfactory  cover. 

In  scouring  it  will  usually  be  found  that  enough  soap  remains  from  the 
fulling  to  hold  the  dirt  and  grease  in  suspension  and  allow  of  its  being 
floated  out  by  means  of  an  application  of  warm  water.  If  the  pieces  do  not 
lather  up  freely  in  the  washer,  draw  off  the  dirty  liquor,  rinse  well, 
close  the  gates  and  add  fresh  soap.  Half  an  hour  in  the  soap,  half  an  hour 
with  warm  water  to  wash  it  out  and  a  final  rinsing  with  cold  water  until 
every  trace  of  soap  is  removed  should  result  in  clean  goods  and  bright 
colors.  Before  drying,  the  goods  are  napped  either  on  the  teasel  gig  or 
wire  napper  until  the  nap  is  sufficient  for  the  finish  desired,  then  put  on 
the  wet  brush  to  straighten  and  lay  the  nap  before  drying.  After  the  goods 
are  dried  they  are  brushed,  steamed,  examined  for  knots,  etc.,  sheared, 
brushed,  sprayed  and  pressed.  The  finished  piece  has  a  fine,  smooth  face, 
with  a  handle  very  close  to  that  of  a  fine  piece  of  suede  leather.  Many 
of  the  so-called  velours  are  not  gigged  at  all,  the  whole  nap  be- 
ing formed  in  the  fulling  mill,  but  these  are  readily  detected,  as  the  nap 
is  not  full  enough  to  make  a  good  cover  for  the  face  and  the  goods  ap- 
pear more  or  less  thready. 

Layout: 

3,840  ends;  reed  12 — 4  =  80"  -|-  IV2"  for 

listing  =  81 1/2"  over  all. 
50  picks. 

Finished  width  56". 
Finished  weight  13V^-14  oz. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,840  ends  5  run  =  7.68  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =    8.45  oz. 

50  X  82.5 

50  picks  5V2  run     =    7.41  oz. 

550 

Loom  weight    15.86  oz. 


COST. 

15.86   oz.    +    15%   waste    =   18.7  oz. 
+    5%    shrinkage   in   finishing  = 

19.6  oz.   @  52c.  per  lb  =     $  .637 

Manufacturing,     50     picks     +  5% 

shrinkage  in  finishing   =  .420 

Mill  cost    $1,057 

Eight  harness,  straight  draw. 

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WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


205 


RATINES 

Among  the  many  novelties  which  have  appeared  in  €Otton  goods  re- 
cently there  probably  is  none  which  has  been  more  popular  than  the  so- 
called  ratine  fabrics.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  very  large  percentage  of 
dress  goods  novelties  are  short  lived  in  popular  demand,  usually  lasting 
but  one  season,  this  fabric,  because  of  its  adaptability  to  a  variety  of  uses, 
bids  fair  to  be  as  popular  in  worsted  for  fall  and  winter  wear  as  its  pro- 
totype has  been  in  cotton  for  use  in  the  summer  season.  The  fabric  is  of 
low  texture,  both  in  ends  and  picks,  yet  has  not  the  usual  objection  to  such 
construction,  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  yarn  employed  in  its  man- 
ufacture preventing  the  sleazy  appearance  which  frequently  results  from 
a  loose  construction.  The  success  which  has  attended  the  marketing  of 
well-made  ratines  is  easily  attested  by  the 

Numerous  Imitations 

which  have  been  offered  as  substitutes.  The  true  ratine  is  produced  by 
means  of  using  a  novelty  twist  in  the  warp,  while  the  imitations  are  usu- 
ally made  of  carded  woolen  threads  which  are  purposely  carded  and  spun 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  produce  a  rough,  uneven  yarn  which  will  approxi- 
mate as  nearly  as  may  be  the  appearance  of  the  novelty  twist.  By  the  use 
of  a  low-grade  nibby  silk  noil,  mixed  with  a  medium  or  fine  medium  wool, 
and  spun  to  2^/^  to  3  run  a  very  creditable  imitation  of  the  fabric  can  be 
produced.  In  preparing  a  lot  of  stock  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 
silk  must  not  be  oiled  before  picking.  In  laying  out  the  lot,  place  a  layer 
of  wool  first,  which  should  be  given  a  sprinkling  of  the  lubricating  emul- 
sion, then  a  layer  of  silk  noil,  followed  by  another  layer  of  wool,  which 
will  have  the  emulsion  as  before.  The  silk  will  absorb  all  the  oil  neces- 
sary from  the  wool  below  and  above  it.  In  feeding  the  batch  to  the  picker, 
do  not  take  the  stock  in  a  haphazard  manner,  but  start  at  one  side,  taking 
the  stock  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  pile,  that  the  mixing  may  be  done  as 
thoroughly  as  possible.  Stock  of  this  nature  should  have  at  least  three  runs 
through  the  picker,  which  will  result  in  a  homogeneous  mixture. 

The  Cards 

should  be  set  quite  open  in  order  to  obtain  the  best '  results  in  a  yarn  of 
this  description.  Instead  of  making  every  effort  to  have  the  resulting 
thread  smooth  and  even,  the  opposite  effect  is  desired.  The  thread  should 
be  as  rough  as  possible.  By  "open  set"  the  carder  will  understand  that 
the  workers  on  the  first  and  second  breaker  cards  are  to  be  set  farther 
from  the  cylinder  than  is  the  usual  custom,  but  not  so  far  that'  the  stock 
will  not  be  carded  at  all.  The  desired  result  is  to  have  the  nibs  or  flakes  of 
silk  noil  pass  through  in  their  original  form,  or  as  nearly  so  as  may  be. 
The  finisher  will  require  setting  a  trifle  closer  than  the  flrst  two  cards  or 
the  web  will  not  go  to  the  rings  in  good  condition.  The  spinning  process 
is  not  different  from  the  usual  procedure  for  ordinary  woolen  yarns.  As 
a  result  of  the  open  setting  the  nibs  of  silk  retain  their  form,  while  the 
more  lofty  wool  is  carded  out  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  and  in  the  process 
of  spinning  the  wool  draws  and  twists,  with  the  nibs  of  silk  noil  standing 
out  on  the  surface  quite  prominently.  The  finishing  of  these  imitation 
ratines  presents  no  unusual  difficulty,  practically  the  only  process  which 
differs  from  the  procedure  of  finishing  fancy  cassimeres  is  the  shearing, 
which,  in  the  case  of  the  type  of  fabrics  here  described,  consists  of  run- 
ning them  with  the  blade  set  well  off,  the  object  being  to  even  the  nap 
without  disturbing  the  nubby  effect  which  is  the  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  the  goods. 


206 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  yarns  for  making  worsted  or  true  ratines  are  prepared  in  a  totally 
different  manner.  The  manufacture  of  the  original  or  foundation  threads 
is  not  dissimilar  from  the  ordinary  process.  It  is  only  in  the  twisting  that 
the  yarns  differ  from  those  used  in  ordinary  fabrics.  To  obtain  the  nov- 
elty effect  in  goods  of  this  type  it  is  necessary  that  a 

Special  Type  of  Twister 

be  used.  Instead  of  the  ordinary  twister  such  as  is  used  for  making  the 
ordinary  plain,  double  and  twist  effects,  a  machine  must  be  used  which  has 
a  double  set  of  rollers  that  will  permit  the  delivery  of  the  two  threads  at 
different  speeds.  In  the  fabric  here  described  the  ratio  of  yarn  delivery 
is  two  to  one.  The  comparatively  great  cost  of  this  novelty  thread  is  read- 
ily understood  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  labor  cost  of  its  man- 
ufacture. To  prepare  the  yarn  for  weaving  it  must  again  be  twisted,  this 
time  a  single  yarn  being  twisted  around  the  product  of  the  double  roll 
twister  to  hold  the  loops  in  place  during  the  further  process  of  manufac- 
ture.   This  is  termed  the  ''wrapper"  and  is  significant  of  its  purpose. 

The  composite  thread  is  made  up  of  three  distinct  parts,  the  core  or  base, 
the  loop  thread  and  the  wrapper.  A  great  variety  of  these  novelty  twists 
can  be  produced  on  the  double  roll  twister  with  the  knotter.  The 

Fabric  Construction 

is  as  follows:  The  warp  is  dressed  one  end  novelty  yarn,  one  end  common 
two-ply,  with  the  ^filling  all  plain  two-ply  yarn.  For  the  novelty  yarn  three 
sizes  of  worsted  are  used,  2-40s  three-eighths  blood  for  the  core,  one-eighth 
to  three-eighths  blood  for  the  loop  thread  and  l-26s  quarter-blood  for  the 
wrapper.  As  comparatively  few  weaving  mills  have  their  own  worsted 
spinning  plant,  it  will  be  unnecessary  at  this  time  to  go  into  the  details  of 
the  yarn  manufacturing  process,  especially  as  it  is  our  intention  to  publish 
a  series  of  articles  at  some  future  date  taking  up  in  detail  every  process  of 
yarn  making  from  grease  wool  to  finished  product  by  both  the  woolen  and 
worsted  systems.  Instead  of  having  ordinary  size  numbers,  as  is  the  case 
with  common  single  or  ply  yarns,  novelties  are  usually  sold  as  having  a 
certain  number  of  yards  per  ounce  or  pound,  and  the  price  per  pound 
known,  these  two  factors  render  our  cost  calculations  comparatively  sim- 
ple. Owing  to  the  cost  of  yarns  of  this  type,  with  their  relatively  coarse 
size,  it  is  very  important  that  the  weight  should  be  looked  after  very  close- 
ly. A  comparatively  slight  loss  in  yards  per  pound  on  yarns  of  large  di- 
ameter will  materially  affect  the  cost  of  the  fabric.  A  large  proportion  of 
these  goods  are  woven  from  yarns  in  the  grey  and  colored  in  the  piece,  al- 
though the  use  of  skein  or  slub-dyed  yarns  will  enable  the  manufacturer  to 
obtain  a  variety  of  extremely  attractive  styles. 

Layout:  COST. 

1,344   ends;   reed  11 1/2— 2          64"  +    IV2"          3.98   oz.    +    5%    waste   ^  4.17  oz. 

for  listing  =  651/2"  over  all.  @    80c.   per  lb  =  $  .2085 

28  picks.  6.58  oz.   +5%  waste  =  6.9  oz.  (g) 

Finished  width  54".  $1.20   =  .5175 


Finshed  weight  9V2  oz. 


Yarn  cost    $  .7260 

CALCULATIONS.  Manufacturing   =  .2000 

672  ends  2/36s  %  blood  =  1.07  oz.  ^.,1  „ost  <  goRO 

+    10%   take-up   =    1.17  oz.  Mill  cost    $  .y^bU 

672  ends  loop,  1,793  yards  per  lb.  4    v,aT,v,po^     strais-ht  draw 

5.99  oz.  +  10%  take-up  =    6.58  oz.  ^    harness,    straight  draw. 

28X  65^  ■riBriHri 

28  pks  2/36S  %bl.  ,   =2.81oz.  g 

(36X560-E-2)-r-16    g  gggggg 

Loom  weight    ToJToi.  £ 

There  are  a  variety  of  fabrics  which  are  practically  in  the  same  class 
as  the  ratine  described  above,  some  of  them  differing  in  name  and  others 
in  weight  or  texture,  but  all  owing  their  distinctive  characteristics  to  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  207 

r- 

novelty  yarn  used  in  their  construction.  One  of  the  most  common  meth- 
ods of  reducing  the  cost  of  any  article  is  to  use  a  lower  grade  of  material 
in  its  construction  or  to  substitute  a  fabric  which  not  only  costs  less  but  is 
entirely  different  in  composition.  The  latter  is  the  method  used  in  pro- 
ducing the  novelty  yarn  from  which  the  so-called 

Mistral 

cloth  is  fabricated.  To  the  ordinary  layman  it  presents  the  appearance  of 
a  worsted  ratine  and  is  cleverly  constructed,  probably  with  that  end  in 
view.  A  slight  investigation  of  the  thread,  however,  betrays  the  fact  that 
of  the  three  threads  composing  the  novelty  yarn  only  the  loop  thread  is 
worsted,  the  core  being  a  two-ply  cotton,  with  a  -single  cotton  thread  used 
as  a  wrapper.  The  fact  that  it  contains  cotton  is  in  no  way  harmful  to 
the  fabric,  per  se,  as  the  wearing  qualities  of  the  garment  made  from  a  fab- 
ric of  this  construction  would  in  all  probability  be  fully  equal  to  those  of 
its  all-wool  neighbor.  This  cloth  is  lower  in  texture  than  the  ratine  pre- 
viously described,  though  of  practically  the  same  weight.    There  are  but 

20  threads  to  the  inch  in  the  warp,  with  21  picks  per  inch  in  the  filling.  It 
is  frequently  the  case  that  fabrics  of  a  low  texture  are  liable  to  slip,  but 
that  tendency  is  overcome  in  this  instance  by  the  character  of  the  yarn. 
The  dyer  may  have  some  difficulty  in  getting  the  shade  on  the  worsted  and 
cotton  to  match  exactly,  which  is  very  essential,  otherwise  the  goods  will 
have  a  peculiar  mottled  appearance  instead  of  the  full,  solid  shade  desired. 
A  little  care  in  the  selection  of  the  dyestuffs  used  should  enable  the  dyer 
to  obtain  results  that  will  be  entirely  satisfactory  in  every  respect.  A  fab- 
ric made  in  this  manner  by  a  mill  equipped  with  the  necessary  twisting  ma- 
chinery should  prove  to  be  a 

More  Profitable 

proposition  than  many  of  the  more  ordinary  types  of  goods,  and  should 
certainly  leave  a  greater  margin  for  profits  than  an  identical  cloth  made  by 
a  mill  which  m-ust  buy  the  novelty  yarns  ready  for  use.  An  additional  ad- 
vantage in  having  the  twisting  equipment  is  in  the  fact  that  it  will  obviate 
the  necessity  of  waiting  for  yarns  at  times  when  delays  are  extremely  ex- 
pensive. The  saving  in  the  cost  of  the  yarn  will  be  in  itself  a  considerable 
item  during  the  season,  and  should  result  in  an  appreciable  increase  in  the 
net  earnings  of  the  plant.  There  is  a  very  decided  advantage  in  fabricating 
the  season's  styles  with  a  low  texture  if  feasible,  as  the  low  number  of 
picks  will  give  a  greatly  increased  yardage  per  loom  and  reduce  the  over- 
head charges  per  yard  to  a  very  great  extent.  The  yarns  to  be  used  in 
making  the  novelty  thread  are  bought  all  ready  to  put  on  the  twister,  the 
cotton  on  cones  and  the  single  worsted  on  spinning  bobbins,  so  that  the 
only  expense  is  for  the  labor  of  twisting.  The  warp  yarn  will  require 
spooling,  but  the  filling  can  be  woven  direct  from  the  twister  bobbins,  a 
saving  of  the  expense  of  winding  when  the  yarns  are  purchased  in  the 
spool.  The  yarns  used  for  making  the  tv/ist  are,  for  the  core  2-50s  cotton, 
for  the  loop  thread  l-24s  worsted,  for  the  wrapper  l-24s  cotton,  making  the 
novelty  yarn  4,048  yards  per  pound.  The  calculations  herewith  are  for  goods 
to  finish  42  inches. 

Layout: 

Warp,  840  ends  novelty  twist;  reed,  SV2 — 2 
=  481/2"  +  11/2"  for  listing  ==  50"  over 

Pilling,  21  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
840    ends,   4,048   yards  per  lb.  = 

3.36  oz.   +   7%  take-up  =  3.59  oz. 

21  X  50 

21  picks  =    =  4.15  oz. 

4,048  -f-  16   

Loom  weight    7.74  oz. 


COST. 

7.74  oz.    +  5%    waste   =   8.12  oz. 

@   80c.  per  lb   $  .406 

Manufacturing    .172 


Net  cost    $  .578 


208 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


CUY  WORSTEDS 

For  many  years  the  clay  worsted  was  the  most  popular  staple  for 
men's  wear,  no  man's  wardrobe  being  complete  without  a  suit  of  black 
clay  -worsted.  Its  place  to-day  is  filled  by  a  variety  of  fabrics,  but  none  ot 
them  can  fully  take  the  place  of  the  clay.  It  was  woven  in  a  six-harness 
twill  of  high-grade  yarns,  not  necessarily  fine  spun,  with  a  clear  finish. 
The  result  was  a  cloth  with  a  full,  round  twill,  every  thread  clear  cut,  and 
a  soft,  full  handle.  For  the  production  of  these  goods  the  yarns  should 
full  and  round  with  two  turns  less  twist  than  is  ordinarily  put  in  yarns  of 
a  corresponding  size.  The  warps  are  dressed  on  a  sectional  machine,  as  in 
the  manufacture  of  fancy  worsteds,  beamed  and  then  placed  in  the  slasher 
for  sizing.  This  is  far  superior  to  the  system  of  wet  dressing  employed  in 
some  plants,  as  it  permits  of  operating  the  dresser  at  a  much  higher  rate 
of  speed. 

Increasing  the  Production 

very  materially,  and  also  sizing  the  whole  warp  at  one  operation,  which 
secures  much  more  even  results  and  better  work.  The  weaving  is  invari- 
ably done  on  the  two-loom  system,  a  considerable  saving  in  the  cost  of 
production.  The  finishing  of  clays  differs  but  little  from  the  process  em- 
ployed for  other  piece-dyed,  clear-finished  cloths.  The  burling  and  mend- 
ing are  performed  in  the  customary  manner,  and  the  goods  scoured  with  a 
pure,  neutral  soap.  For  fine  quality  yarns  there  is  nothing  superior  to  a 
well-made  potash  soap.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  soda  compounds  of 
all  kinds  have  an  injurious  effect  on  the  wool  fibre,  which  is  particularly 
noticeable  on  the  finer  wools.  There  is  a  decided  tendency  to  make  the 
wool  brittle  and  harsh  to  the  touch,  which  detracts  very  materially  from 
the  soft,  kindly  feel  desirable  on  this  class  of  fabrics.  The  scouring  should 
easily  be  accomplished  without  the  use  of  harsh  detergents,  as  only  the 
best  of  oils  -should  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  yarns,  and  these  are 
readily  saponified.  From  the  washer  the  goods  are  taken  to  the  rolling 
machine,  passing  through  a  trough  of  hot  water  over  a  stretch  roll,  which 
removes  all  the  wrinkles,  to  a  winding  drum,  that  carries  the  roll  on  which 
the  goods  are  wound.  The  pieces  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  rolls 
for  at  least  twenty-four  hours,  during  which  time  the  rolls  should  be  turn- 
ed end  for  end  four  times  to  prevent  the  water  settling  in  any  part  of  the 
goods.    The  pieces  are  next  put  through  a 

Continuous  Crabbing  IViachine, 

which  gives  the  goods  a  thorough  ''set"  and  puts  them  in  good  condition 
for  the  dyer.  There  should  be  no  trouble  in  bringing  these  goods  from  the 
dyehouse  free  from  shades  or  streaks  if  the  preliminary  work  has  been  done 
in  a  thorough  manner.  Upon  a  searching  investigation  it  will  almost  in- 
variably be  found  that  the  cause  of  uneven  goods  lies  outside  th^e  dyehouse. 
If  troubles  of  this  nature  are  encountered,  it  would  be  well  to  give  close 
attention  to  the  scouring  and  crabbing  operations,  as  in  the  majority  of 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


209 


cases  the  source  of  the  difficulty  will  be  found  here.  The  pieces  should 
have  plenty  of  cold  water  to  rinse  off  all  traces  of  loose  dyestuff  and  are 
then  ready  to  be  extracted  and  dried.  The  drying  of  fine  goods  should  not 
be  hurried,  as  the  excessive  heat  necessary  for  rapid  drying  is  very  apt  to 
hurt  the  handle  Of  the  goods.  The 

Best  Method  of  Drying 

is  in  the  open  air,  but  entails  too  much  labor  and  loss  of  time  for  a  mill 
with  a  production  of  any  size.  The  system  in  common  use  in  modern  mills 
is  to  dry  artificially  with  hot  air.  The  best  type  of  machine  is  the  chain 
dryer,  which  carries  the  cloth  between  steam-heated  coils  by  means  of  pins 
set  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  apart  in  the  links  which  perforate  the  sel- 
vage and  tenter  the  goods  to  the  desired  width  while  carrying  it  through 
the  dryer.  After  back-burling,  the  pieces  are  given  a  few  runs  on  the  "pol- 
isher" in  order  to  loosen  up  all  the  stray  fibres  and  clean  out  the  twill.  The 
shearing  must  be  carefully  watched,  so  that  no  holes  may  be  cut  in  the 
goods.  The  blade  must  be  set  with  the  center  of  the  axis  level  with  the 
edge  of  the  ledger  blade  in  order  to  give  the  threadbare  finish  characteris- 
tic of  clays.  After  brushing,  it  is  advisable  to  give  the  pieces  a  run  over 
the  dewing  machine  before  pressing,  which  will  assist  in  setting  the  finish. 
Run  the  goods  through  the  press  with  the  face  to  the  cylinder  and  roll 
them  up  hot,  allowing  them  to  cool  off  on  the  roll.  Before  inspecting,  give 
a  light  run  on  the  dewing  machine  with  the  face  up,  and  the  result  will  be 
a  firm,  fine  feeling  clay  of  which  any  finisher  may  well  be  proud. 

Layout:  COST. 

4.800  ends  2/28s;  reed  12— 6  =  66  2-3"  +       18,54  oz.    +    5%  waste    =   19.47  oz. 

11/3     for  listing  =  68    over  aU.  of  yaj,^  required  @  84c.  per  lb..=  $1,022 

58  picks  2/28S.  Manufacturing   =  .300 

CALCULATIONS.  Mill  cost    $1,322 

4,800   ends  2/28s   =    9.8  oz.    +    7%  Draw    listing,    reverse    from    the    warp,  six 

take-up   p-'ow'ftQ —  iu.4y  oz.  outside  ends,   two  in  heddle.     12  harness 

.  ,              58  X  68  straight  draw. 

58  picks   ....=    8.05  oz. 

28  X  560  -r-  2      16  ^ 

Loom  weight    18.54  oz.  g  DD-«aDDg«D 

El4 


CORKSCREWS 

The  corkscrew  is  a  fabric  in  which  the  entire  face  is  composed  of  warp 
threads  so  interlaced  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  interlocking  spirals,  and 
receives  the  name  from  the  fancied  resemblance  to  the  utensil  generally 
used  in  the  extraction  of  corks.  They  may  be  developed  in  piece  dyes 
or  fancy  worsteds,  in  mixtures  or  with  the  alternate  wales  of  contrasting 
colors.  The  weave  is  also  very  effective  in  combination  with  other  weaves 
for  producing  novelties  in  fine  men's  wear. 

Not  many  years  ago  the  corkscrew  was  an  extremely  popular  fabric, 
and  deservedly  so,  but  the  special  opportunity  presented  by  this  weave  for 
the  use  of  an  inferior  filling  which  was  taken  undue  advantage  of  by  some 
manufacturers  soon  placed  it  among  the    undesirables.     Another  feature 


210  Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary 


which  militates  against  a  revival  of  the  vogue  it  once  enjoyed  is  the  fact 
that  unless  made  from  fine  stock  the  corkscrew  will  wear  shiny  in  less 
time  than  many  other  fabrics.  To  obtain  the  best  results  in  a  fabric  of 
this  character  the  yarns  for  the  warp  should  be  dry  mule-spun,  that  is  to 
say,  made  on  the 

French  System, 

as  this  method  of  spinning  worsted  yarns  produces  a  somewhat  softer 
thread  than  the  Bradford  or  oil- spun  system,  and  also  a  thread  that  has 
less  tendency  to  shine  after  the  goods  are  worn.  The  filling  yarns  are 
not  as  important,  as  they  do  not  show  on  the  face  except  in  combination 
weaves,  and  may  be  worsted,  wool  or  cotton,  as  the  necessities  of  the  case 
demand.  The  sample  selected  for  analysis  is  a  double-colored  warp  with 
silk  decorations  in  combination  with  the  brochet  weave.  The  yarns  used 
are  2-40s  worsted  and  120s  silk  for  the  warp  with  2-40s  and  l-19s  for  the 
filling.  The  weave  employed  is  the  thirteen  harness  corkscrew,  which  pro- 
duces a  very  fine  twill  at  an  angle  of  approximately  30  degrees.  This  is 
the  weave  generally  used  for  the  manufacture  of  fine  shoe-top  fabrics,  and 
will  be  found  very  satisfactory  for  fine  cloths  in  men's  wear  styles. 

LAYOUT.  ■■■■□■□■□■□■■□■□■□■■n 

44  timPH  ^1  black 
44  times.  •^  ^ 

2  silk  120 
2  black 

  ■■■□■□■□■□■■■■^■□■□'''H 

95  X   6  =  570  ends  to  section. 
9  sections 

5,130  ends. 

~ii  "'^     4-172  . 
for  listing-  =  69"  over  all.  ^    □■  ■□■■^■■■□■■■■■■■■a 

7  6  picks: 

1 — 1/19  black. 

CALCULATIONS. 
t),uzz  ends  z/40  —  7.18  oz.   +  10% 

take-up   =    7.890  oz. 

108  ends  120  silk  =  .017  oz.  +  10% 

38  picks  2/40   =    3.750  oz. 

38  picks  1/19   =    3.930  oz. 

Loom  weight    15.589  oz. 

COST  □■□■■■■«■□■□■■■■■■■■□ 

11.64  oz.  2/40  +  5%  waste  =  13.22 

oz.  @  90c.  per  lb  =  $  .7436  ■■■■!■□■□■□■□■!■■■■■□ 

.019  oz.   120  silk  +  5%  waste  =  .02  ■■□■□■□■□■SSSSgSgSSSy 

oz.    @   $4  per  lb  =      .0050  □■□■□■■■«■■□■■■■■■■□■ 

3.93  oz.  1/19  +  3%  waste  =  4.05  g5SS5SSRSRSS5252S25SR 

oz.   @  80c.  per  lb  =      .2025  KIBISKSyKBSgrrgS 

Stock   cost    $  .9511  ^ 

Manufacturing   =      .4500  is  a 

ivlill   cost    $1.4011  ex  ^'^^ 


15 
14 


11  11 

10  10 

9  9 
8  8 

7  : 

0  6 
»  6 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


211 


GOnON  WORSTEDS 

The  cotton  worsted  is  a  fabric  with  an  almost  unlimited  number  of  va- 
riations in  its  construction.  When  well  made,  it  fills  its  proper  place  in 
the  lines  of  many  of  our  manufacturers  of  the  cheaper  grades  of  clothing. 
When  rightly  constructed,  there  is  no  fabric  made  which  will  return,  in 
wear,  better  value  for  the  money  invested  than  this  much-maligned  fab- 
ric.   Despite  the  great  outcry  against  so-called  ''adulterated  fabrics,"  the 


Cotton  Worsted. 


cotton  worsted  occupies  a  place  in  the  manufacture  of  clothing  that  no 
other  fabric  can  fill.  It  gives  the  clearness  of  detail  in  design  that  can  be 
found  in  no  other  cloth  but  the  fine,  fancy  worsted,  which  is  too  high  in 
price  for  the  clothing  manufacturer  to  use  in  his  low-priced  lines.  The 
present  prejudice  against  the  fabric  is  to  a  great  extent  a  manufactured 
sentiment.  The  manufacture  of  these  cloths  is  similar  to  the  processes 
used  in  the  production  of  its  higher-priced  prototype,  and 

Requires  Skilled  Workmen  in  Every  Department. 

It  is  quite  probable  that  it  will  require  much  less  sewing,  as  the  supe- 
rior strength  of  the  cotton  in  the  warp  will  be  found  to  save  many  broken 
ends  in  the  weaving.  Every  face  thread  must  be  carefully  sewed  in,  and 
all  knots,  slugs,  etc.,  removed.  The  scouring  will  require  special  atten- 
tion, or  injury  to  the  colors  will  result.  The  shearing  must  be  close,  so 
as  to  bring  out  the  pattern  and  colors,  but  do  not  press  too  hard  or  the 
goods  will  have  a  peculiar  papery  handle  that  is  extremely  undesirable. 
Cotton  worsteds  are  of  three  general  classes,  those  with  all-worsted  face, 
worsted  face  warp  with  cotton  filling,  and  those  in  which  the  colored 


212 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


threads  in  the  warp  are  worsted, 
face  warp  and  cotton  filling. 


The  layout  herewith  is  for  a  worsted 


66"   +  for 


LAYOUT. 
6,048   ends;   reed   15 — 6  = 

listing-  =    QTV2"  over  all. 
58  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
4,032  ends  2/50s  worsted  =  4.6  oz. 

+    10%   =    5.06  oz. 

2,076  ends  2/30s  cotton   =   2.56  oz. 

+   10%   =    2.81  oz. 

58  picks  2/40s  cotton  =    3.73  oz. 


Loom  weight 


11.60  oz. 


COST. 

5.06  oz.   +   5%   waste  =  5.31  oz.  (g) 

$1  per  lb  =  $  .3320 

2.56  oz.   +   5%  waste  =  2.68  oz.  @ 

36c.  per  lb.  =  .0603 

3.73  oz.   +   5%  waste  =  3.92  oz.  @ 

44c.   per   lb  =  .1078 


Manufacturing 
Mill  cost  . 


.5001 
.3750 


$  .8751 


"■□□□■■□□□DC 

□□■■□□□□■■□[: 


O 


RATINE  SERGE 

The  popularity  of  the  ratine,  which  has  been  one  of  the  best  sellers  on 
the  market  in  cottons  for  summer  wear,  has  led  to  the  development  of  nu- 
merous fabrics  of  similar  appearance  in  wool  and  worsted  for  the  fall 
season.    We  have  previously  published  full  manufacturing  details  of  two 


Ratine  Serge. 


of  these  fabrics,  made  with  special  loop  yarns,  and  this  week  have  select- 
ed for  analysis  a  fabric  which  is  made  from  plain  yarns.  The  special  fea- 
ture of  this  example  is  the  use  of  fine  yarns  for  the  warp,  with  a  compara- 
tively heavy  filling,  which,  in  combination  with  the  weave  employed,  pro- 
duces a  novel  effect.  The  yarns  for  both  warp  and  filling  are  single  wor- 
sted, such  as  may  be  produced  by  any  mill  with  regular  equipment,  and 
should  be  much  less  expensive  than  the  novelty  yarns  used  in  the  manu- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


213 


facture  of  true  ratings.  The  peculiar  effect  is  produced  by  interlacing  the 
warp  and  filling  with  the  regular  cotton  weave  for  the  most  part,  the  rais- 
ed appearance  on  the  face  resulting  from  floating  the  filling  over  a  portion 
of  the  warp.  The  fabric  may  be  produced  on  any  fancy  loom  which  will 
hold  fourteen  harnesses.  The  fabric  should  be  laid  a  trifle  wider  in  the 
loom  than  ordinary  clear  finished  cloths,  to  allow  for  a  sufficient  contrac- 
tion in  width  to  bring  the  floats  prominently  on  the  face  of  the  goods.  The 
major  part  of  these  cloths  are  made  in  piece-dyed  shades,  but  very  pleas- 
ing results  are  obtained  by  the  use  of  contrasting  colors  in  warp  and  fill- 
ing. A  variety  of  styles  may  be  made  by  using  black  warp  and  white  fill- 
ing and  then  piece  dyeing,  forming  a  black  warp  with  filling  dyed  to  any 
desired  shade. 

LAYOUT. 

3,224    ends;    reed    141/2—4—3    =    63.3"  -f 

11/^"  for  listing  =   64.8"  over  all. 
38  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,224  ends  1/32   =   2.88   oz.    +  10% 

take-up   =    3.16  oz. 

38  picks  1/16   =    4.39  oz. 

Loom  weight    7.45  oz. 

COST. 

3.16  oz.  +  3%  waste   =•  3.25  oz. 

4.39  oz.  +  5%  waste   =  4.61  oz. 

3.25  oz.   @   70c.  per  lb  =  $  .1503 

4.61  oz.   @  64c.  per  lb  ==  .1844 

Stock  cost    $  .3347 

Manufacturing   =  .2300 

MiU  cost    $  .5647 


TRICOTS 

There  are  two  distinct  classes  of  fabrics  known  to  the  trade  as  tricots. 
The  first,  more  correctly  designated  as  **tricot  a  long,"  is  made  with  wool 
warp  and  filling,  and  is  a  warp  faced  cloth.  The  second  is  frequently 
made  of  all  cotton  warp  with  woolen  filling  and  is  the  fabric  commonly 
known  as  tricot.  The  cloth  has  the  appearance  of  fine  lines  running 
either  in  the  direction  of  the  warp,  in  the  tricot  loDg  or  crosswise  in  the 
tricot.  A  few  years  ago  many  of  our  woolen  mills  were  busily  engaged 
in  the  production  of  one  or  the  other  of  these  well-known  cloths.  In  the 
better  grades  the  tricot  long  is  a  fine,  firm  fabric  with  excellent  wearing 
qualities,  and  when  made  from  well-blended  mixtures  of  harmonious  color- 
ings, well  deserved  the  title  "Fine  Suitings,"  which  in  these  days  is 
often  applied  to  cloths  that  are  much  less  deserving  of  such  a  name.  The 
manufacture  of  fine  woolens  such  as  these  is  an  art  little  understood  by 
many  of  the  present  generation  of  mill  managers,  and  demands  no  little 
skill  on  the  part  of  the  overseers,  particularly  in  the  finishing  room.  The 
wool  used  should  be  fine,  well-grown  stock,  free  from  burrs,  and  of  good 
strength. 

Care  in  Scouring 

is  essential  if  the  best  results  are  to  be  obtained.  Too  often  the  scouring 
is  left  to  low-priced  help,  with  the  result  in  many  cases  that  a  lot  of  wool 
intended  for  fine  spinning  is  so  mistreated  that  it  is  impossible  to  draw 
it  to  the  size  desired.  In  scouring  fine  wools,  particularly,  it  is  absolutely 
essential  to  use  the  best  of  materials  as  detergents.  They  should  be 
tested  for  impurities  of  various  kinds,  not  alone  to  avoid  paying  fancy 
prices  for  material  that  is  of  no  assistance  in  removing  the  dirt  and  grease 


Eh 


1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9i011121314 


214 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


from  the  wool,  but  also  to  be  sure  that  they  contain  nothing  that  will  have  a 
deleterious  effect  on  the  fibre  itself.  It  is  a  fact  beyond  the  hope  of  suc- 
cessful contradiction  that  soda  ash  or  the  various  other  commonly  used 
soda  compounds  have  a  very  harmful  effect  on  the  physical  structure  of 
the  wool  fibre  and  should  never,  under  any  circumstances,  be  allowed  to 
come  in  contact  with  fine  wools.  The  result  of  their  use  will  be  the 
partial,  if  not  total,  destruction  of  the  fine  serrations  that  are  one  of  the 
chief  characteristics  of  the  fibre,  and  also  give  it  crisp,  harsh  handle, 
similar  to  stock  of  a  much  lower  grade  and  correspondingly  lower  price. 
Nothing  better  has  yet  beei  devised  for  cleansing  fine  wools  than  a  pure, 
well-made  potash  soap,  the  alkali  is  much  milder  in  its  action  than  soda, 
and  the  fact  that  potash  salts  are  a  constituent  of  the  "yolk"  or  wool 
grease  itself  is  evidence  that  it  is  not  harmful  in  its  nature.  Even  in 
potash  soaps  there  will  be  found  at  times  free  caustic  alkali,  an  ex- 
tremely harmful  substance  to  place  in  contact  with  wool,  for,  if  present  in 
sufficient  quantity,  it  will  entirely  dissolve  the  fibre.  The  test  for  its 
presence  in  soap  is  very  simple.  A  drop  of  phenolphthalein  on  the  soap 
will  show  the  presence  of  free  caustic  alkali  at  once  by  the  pink  color  im- 
mediately developed.     Another  prime  requisite  is  a  plentiful  supply  of 

Soft  Water. 

If  the  water  contains  salts  of  lime,  the  soap  is  decomposed,  the  fatty  por- 
tion uniting  with  the  acids  in  the  lime  compound,  which  is  also  disinte- 
grated, forming  a  lime  soap,  which  is  insoluble  in  water  and  is  deposited 
on  the  wool  in  the  scouring  liquor.  The  lime  soap  is  a  sort  of  sticky 
paste  which  envelopes  the  fibre  completely  and  is  removed  with  extreme 
difficulty,  if  at  all.  If  not  thoroughly  cleansed,  the  stock  is  difficult  to  dye 
properly  and  is  very  apt  to  be  uneven.  Injury  to  the  stock  frequently  is 
the  result  of  excessive  heat  in  the  scouring  liquor.  In  no  case  should  the 
temperature  be  over  130  degrees  Fahrenheit  and  is  preferably  kept  from  120 
to  125  degrees.  The  goods  will  have  a  much  better  handle  if  the  stock  is 
dried  by  the  cold  air  process,  but  many  of  our  manufacturers  do  not  use  this 
system  from  lack  of  room  or  various  other  reasons.  This  method  of  dry- 
ing requires  more  time  and  greater  facilities  than  artificial  drying,  but  gives 
much  better  results.  The  wool  is  spread  in  a  thin,  even  layer  on  wire 
screens  suitably  supported,  and  the  under  part  of  the  racks  boxed  in.  A 
powerful  fan  connected  to  an  opening  at  one  end  of  the  boxed-in  rack 
exhausts  the  air  under  the  wool,  drawing  the  air  in  the  room  through  the 
wool,  thus  aiding  in  the  drying  operation,  or  forces  air  into  the  lower  part 
of  the  dryer,  which  causes  a  current  of  air  to  pass  upward  through  the  wool 
on  the  screen.  The  latter  method  is  to  be  preferred,  as  the  wool  is  left 
in  a  more  open  and  lofty  condition  for  subsequent  operations.  In  preparing 
the  lots  for  the  cards,  the  overseer  of  the  card  room  should  see  that  the 
blending  and  oiling  is  given  proper  attention.  Lots  containing  a  very  small 
per  cent  of  one  color  will  require  different  treatment  than  lots  made  up 
of  nearly  equal  quantities  of  the  various  colors  or  stocks.  There  are  va- 
rious opinions  as  to  the 

Best  Oil  to  Use 

for  lubricating  the  fibre  during  the  carding  and  spinning,  but  for  fine  wools 
certainly  an  oil  should  be  chosen  which  will  not  only  perform  its  functions 
as  a  lubricant,  but  also  can  readily  be  washed  out  of  the  finished  goods. 
It  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  to  have  serious  diflSculty  in  the  finish- 
ing room  as  a  result  of  using  an  inferior  oil  on  the  stock.  The  laying  down 
of  the  lot  for  the  picker  should  be  done  in  such  a  manner  that  there  shall 
be  a  thorough  mixture  of  the  various  colors  or  stocks  in  the  finished 
batch.  A  lot  made  up  of  four  colors  or  stocks  should  be  laid  out  with 
alternate  thin  layers  of  each  in  as  nearly  equal  quantities  as  possible,  and 
in  feeding  the  picker,  the  stock  must  be  taken  from  top  to  bottom  of  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


pile.  If  this  is  done  the  result  will  be  a  homogeneous  mixture  throughout. 
The  cards  should  have  clothing  set  with  comparatively  fine  wire  for  the 
wools  used  in  fine  tricots.  The  first  breaker  may  be  clothed  with  No.  28 
wire,  and  No.  30  on  the  second  breaker  and  finisher.  The  cylinders  of  the 
first  two  cards  are  usually  covered  with  sheets,  but  for  the  cylinder  of  the 
finisher. 

Fillet  Clothing 

is  preferable.  The  roving  should  be  made  twice  the  weight  of  the  yarn 
desired,  givirg  half  draft  on  the  mule,  which  will  make  a  sound,  well- 
rounded  thread  that  will  weave  with  no  difficulty.  Goods  of  this  nature, 
which  require  considerable  fulling  or  shrinkage  in  the  finishing  process, 
must  be  laid  wide  in  the  loom,  from  70  to  72  inches  will  usually  prove 
sufllcient  to  give  excellent  results.  The  finishing  of  tricots,  or  other  clear 
finished  woolens,  require  the  services  of  a  skilled  man,  both  in  the  fulling 
and  dry  finishing.  The  burling  must  be  carefully  performed,  all  knots, 
slugs,  etc.,  removed  before  the  goods  go  to  the  sewers,  who  will  replace 
all  threads  out  and  similar  imperfections.  This  part  of  the  work  must 
not  be  slighted,  as  every  warp  thread  shows  very  distinctly  on  the  face 
of  the  finished  cloth.  For  the  fulling,  a  pure,  well-made  soap  should  be 
used,  the  combination  used  by  many  of  our  expert  finishers  on  this  class 
of  goods  being  half  tallow  and  half  palm  oil,  while  others  prefer  to  use  the 
palm  oil  soap  entirely.  The  soap  should  be  applied  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  secure  an  even  distribution  on  all  parts  of  the  piece,  and  the  use  of  a 
soaping  machine  is  advised  for  this  purpose.  The  soap  should  be  sufficient 
in  quantity  to  thoroughly  moisten  the  goods,  and  strong  enough  to  start 
the  grease  and  dirt  in  good  shape  and  to  hold  it  in  suspension  through  the 
fulling  operation.  The  use  of  a  pure  tallow  soap  is  open  to  some  serious 
objections,  one  in  particular  being  the  extreme  difficulty  with  which  it  is 
scoured  from  the  goods.  The  washing  machine  should  have  a  plentiful 
supply  of  both  warm  and  cold  water,  soft  water  being  much  the  best  if 
it  can  be  obtained. 

The  pieces  should  be  run  for  half  an  hour  with  sufficient  warm  water 
to  form  a  good  lather.  If  a  good,  full-bodied  soap  was  used  in  the  fulling, 
this  should  be  accomplished  without  the  use  of  additional  soap.  Rinse 
for  20  to  30  minutes  in  warm  water,  using  enough  to  float  the  dirty  soap  and 
other  impurities  from  the  goods  in  a  thorough  manner  and  give  a  final  rins- 
ing for  half  an  hour  or  possibly  three-quarters  in  cold  water.  If  the  goods 
have  been  made  with  a  mixture  of  low  stock  they  may  require  another  ap- 
plication of  soap  to  thoroughly  cleanse  them  before  the  final  rinsing. 

Clear  Finished  Woolens 

require  more  or  less  work  on  a  gig  or  napping  machine,  in  order  to 
raise  the  fibres  which  have  become  filled  to  a  greater  or  less  extent 
in  the  fulling  and  washing  operations.  After  drying  the  goods  are 
"back  burled"  and  taken  to  the  gig  or  the  wire  napper,  as  the  case  may  be. 
It  is  necessary  to  use  good  judgment  here,  as  a  severe  application  on 
either  machine  will  result  in  making  the  goods  tender,  one  of  the  worst 
forms  of  imperfection  that  can  occur.  Goods  that  are  damaged  in  many 
other  ways  can  be  sold  for  a  variety  of  uses,  but  tender  goods  are  prac- 
tically worthless  except  as  rags.  The  napping  operation  must  be  carried 
on  until,  in  the  judgment  of  the  finisher,  the  nap  is  sufficiently  well  raised 
for  the  shear  to  clean  the  face  of  the  goods,  without  setting  so  close  as 
to  injure  the  thread  itself.  The  shearing  must  not  be  unduly  hastened,  for 
better  results  will  be  secured  by  coming  down  slowly,  with  more  runs,  than 
it  is  possible  to  obtain  by  attempting  to  shear  too  closely  at  first.  The 
fine  sewers  should  now  repair  any  damages  that  have  escaped  observation 
before  this  time,  the  pieces  given  a  good  brushing  with  a  little  steam  dur- 
ing the  final  run,  and  they  are  ready  for  the  press.  The  pressing  should 
be  moderately  heavy  on  this  class  of  goods,  with  a  light  steaming  on  the 


216 


WOOLEN  AND  WOUSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


face  as  they  leave  the  press.  With  well  selected  wools,  good  workman- 
ship, and  proper  equipment,  the  finished  fabric  will  be  a  credit  to  any 
manufacturer. 

LAYOUT.  COST. 

4,200  ends;  reed   15—4    =   70"   4-   IW  for  17.12  oz    +   15%  shrinkage   =  20.1 

listing  =  711/2"  over  all.  ^^oz.  @  52c.  per  lb  =    $  .653 

64  picks.  Manufacturing    .432 

CALCULATIONS.  Mill  cost    $1,085 

4,200  ends  5^4  run  =  8  oz.  +  10% 

take-up   =    8.80  oz  rj 

64  picks  5V2  run   =    8.32  oz.  .  g 

Loom  weight                                   17.12  oz.  ^ 

Finished  weight  14  oz.  g 


The  Filling  Face  Tricot 

is  a  type  of  construction  seldom  used  except  for  very  cheap  cloths.  In 
nearly  every  instance  the  warp  is  entirely  of  cotton  and  is  purchased  on 
loom  beams,  obviating  the  expense  of  yarn  making  and  warp  preparation. 
The  warps  may  be  white  or  colored,  as  is  best  suited  to  the  type  of  fab- 
ric to  be  made.  If  the  goods  are  to  be  piece  dyed,  the  usual  method,  the 
warps  should  be  of  cutch  cotton.  The  successful  manufacture  of  these 
goods  is  one  of  the  simplest  branches  of  the  industry,  requiring  no  special 
skill  to  produce  a  satisfactory  cloth.  The  chief  aim  of  the  whole  force  is 
production,  which  should  be  obtained  with  comparative  ease.  The  warps 
should  run  practically  from  start  to  finish  with  scarcely  a  broken  end, 
leaving  the  weaver  free  to  watch  the  filling.  There  are  two  kinds  of  fill- 
ing used,  a  comparatively  fine  thread  for  the  face  of  the  goods,  with  a 
much  heavier  thread  for  the  back.  The  peculiar  ribbed  appearance  of  the 
goods  is  due  to  the  weave  in  part  and  also  to  the  use  of  the  large  backing 
thread.  An  inspection  of  the  chain  plan  used  will  show  at  a  glance  how 
the  effect  is  obtained.  It  will  be  noticed  that  when  the  backing  pick  is 
put  in  the. 

Weave  Is  Reversed, 

the  harnesses  that  were  raised  for  the  previous  face  picker  are  lowered 
and  vice  versa.  This  reverse  in  the  weave,  combined  with  the  compara- 
tively coarse  yarn  used  as  back  filling,  make  the  distinct  cut  filling  v/ire 
which  is  the  distinctive  characteristic  of  this  cloth.  The  stock  used  in 
the  face  filling  is  medium  wool  and  shoddy,  that  for  the  backing  a  lower 
grade  of  wool  with  a  larger  percentage  of  shoddy.  It  is  customary  to  use 
picked  stock  for  fillings  of  this  kind,  that  is,  shoddy  that  has  not  been 
carded  since  coming  from  the  rag  picker.  As  such  stock  usually  contains 
occasional  lumps  and  hard  twisted  threads,  it  is  best  to  have  the  first 
breaker  card  equipped  with  a 

Metallic  Breast. 

This  consists  of  a  series  of  rolls  covered  with  garnett  wire  which  works 
the  stock  before  it  reaches  the  tumbler  and  transfers  it  to  the  main  cyl- 
inder of  the  card.  The  speed  of  the  rolls  is  slow,  so  that  their  action  on 
the  lumps  and  hard  ends  is  not  harsh,  but  pulls  them  apart  and  puts  the 
stock  in  good  open  condition  for  the  card  itself.  The  clothing  for  cards 
running  on  this  grade  of  stock  should  be  set  with  somewhat  coarser  wire 
than  for  fine  all-wool  work.  The  first  breaker  should  not  be  finer  than 
No.  26  wire  with  28  for  the  finisher.  The  condensers  must  be  set 
close  and  the  roving  well  rubbed  in  order  to  spin  well. 

The  finishing  of  cotton  warp  tricots  is  not  much  different  from  the 
routine  process.  It  will  be  necessary  to  put  some  weight  on  the  crimping 
box  to  prevent  the  goods  from  stretching  during  the  fulling.  A  heavier 
soap  will  be  necessary  than  for  all-wool  goods,  with  probably  an  extra 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


217 


quantity  of  alkali  to  overcome  the  effect  of  the  impurities  in  the  shoddy. 
In  the  majority  of  cases  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  gig  the  goods,  the  cut 
showing  sufficiently  without  this  treatment.  Shearing  too  closely  will  bring 
the  cotton  warp  into  view,  an  effect  that  will  render  the  goods  practically 
unmarketable.  In  a  well  finished  piece  of  tricot  there  cannot  be  seen  a 
trace  of  the  cotton  warp  on  either  face  or  back,  the  filling  covering  it  com- 
pletely on  both  sides.   Their  chief  use  is  as  a  material  for  cheap  skirts. 


LAYOUT. 

4,500    ends    1/16    cotton;    reed  — 4  = 

721/2"   over  all. 
54  picks: 

2    4  run. 

1    2  run. 

CALCULATIONS. 
4,500  ends   =  5.36  oz.   +  5%  take- 
up   =    5.62  oz. 

36  picks,  4  run  face  =    6.48  oz. 

18  picks,  2  run  back  =    6.48  oz. 

Loom  weight    18.58  oz. 

COST. 

5.62    oz.    cutch    cotton    @    24c.  per 

lb  '  =  $  .0843 

6.48  oz.  +  15%  shrinkage  =  7.62  oz. 

@  34.2c.  per  lb  =  .1623 

6.48  oz.  +  20%  shrinkage  =  8.01  oz. 

@   20c.   per  lb  =  .1201 

$  .3667 

♦Manufacturing   3000 

Mill   cost    $  .6667 


♦Low  cost  of  manufacture  is  due  to  the 

fact  that  there  are  no  costs  for  warp 
aside   from  stock. 

4    run  mixture: 

60%  medium  wool  @  45c.  per  lb.=  $  .270 

40%  shoddy  @  18c.  per  lb  =  .072 

Cost  per  pound    $  .342 

2  run  mixture: 

20%  wool  @  40c.  per  lb  =  $  .080 

20%  cotton  @   12c.  per  lb  =  .024 

60%  shoddy  @  16c.  per  lb  =  .096 

Cost  per  pound    $  .200 


■□□□■□□n 


NOVELTY  CLOAKINGS 

It  is  interesting  to  note  in  relation  to  the  discussion  now  going  on  in 
these  columns  as  to  the  possibility  of  arriving  at  a  system  of  cost  finding 
for  woolen  mills  that  the  figures  as  to  weights  and  costs  of  the  novelty 
presented  in  this  issue  were  made  up  by  the  designer  in  the  mill  producing 
the  fabric.  The  cloth  was  analyzed  by  another  textile  manufacturer  whose 
figures  are  practically  identical,  the  variation  being  less  than  one  per  cent. 
This  certainly  is  prima  facie  evidence  that  an  accurate  system  is  within 
the  range  of  possibility.  The  subject  of  novelty  cloakings  has  been  dis- 
cussed at  some  length  in  a  previous  issue,  but  the  popularity  of  these  fab- 
rics the  present  season  is  one  of  the  features  of  the  market,  and  a  further 
discussion  of  cloths  of  this  type  we  think  will  prove  of  interest  to  our  read- 
ers. 

A  great  many  of  these  novelties  would  appear  to  conservative  people  as 
being  almost  too  conspicuous  for  wearing  apparel,  although  such  does  not 
seem  to  be  the  case  with  the  majority,  judging  from  the  sale  that  these 
fabrics  enjoy.  There  is  a  much  larger  profit  derived  from  the  sale  of 
these  novelties  than  from  suitings.  A  great  many  small  mills  obtain  their 
sustenance  from  these  same  fabrics,  competition  being  too  keen  in  the  suit- 
ing line  to  compete  with  the  large  mills.  People  are  will- 
ing to  pay  a  good  price  for  novelties  in  the  cloth  lino 
as     well     as     in   any   other   line.  Hardly  a  day  passes  without  the 


218  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


appearance  of  a  novelty  fabric  at  the  mill,  and  while  no  doubt  exists  as 
to  their  being  copied  in  cheaper  fabrics,  it  is  found  more  difficult  to  do 
so  than  would  be  the  case  regarding  suitings,  as  luster  worsted  yarns 
form  the  component  part,  said  yarns  being  used  mostly  for  fillings  that 
stand  out  conspicuously  on  the  face  of  the  fabric.    The  warp  in  these  par- 


Novelty  Cloaking. 


ticular  fabrics  is  generally  composed  entirely  of  cotton,  the  same  being 
ohscured  on  the  face.  Some  have  a  luster  worsted  filling  face  with  a  shod- 
dy mixture  back,  which  is  added  to  give  weight  to  the  cloth,  quality  of  the 
same  being  not  of  much  importance,  the  manufacturer  using  his  own  judg- 
ment in  regard  to  the  formula  of  this  yarn,  each  having  his  own  idea  of 
the  same.  To  determine  about  What  width  these  fabrics  should  be  set  in 
the  loom  good  judgment  must  be  exercised. 

In  case  they  are  set  too  wide,  the  worsted  yarn  is  liable  to  break  up 
before  the  required  finished  width  is  attained. 

F;rom  68  to  71  Inches 

would  be  found  to  be  a  safe  width  in  a  majority  of  these.  The  worsted 
yarn,  although  woven  straight,  forms  a  curly  surface  during  the  finishing 
process.  Previous  to  finishing  these  goods  they  should  be  tacked  to  in- 
sure evenness  in  fulling.  They  are  then  put  through  a  soaping  machine, 
so  as  to  acquire  an  equal  distribution  of  the  soap.  Close  attention  must 
be  given  to  the  goods  during  the  fulling  process,  so  as  to  detect  any  break- 
ing up  of  the  worsted  yarn.  Should  same  happen  to  occur  following  this, 
the  pieces  are  washed  and  dried,  then  pressed,  no  shearing  or  other  proc- 
ess being  required.  A  great  many  of  these  cloths  are  piece  dyed,  and  if  such 
were  the  case,  the  goods  should  not  be  fulled  to  width,  they  being  taken 
out  of  the  fulling  mills  wide  enough  to  allow  for  the  shrinkage  in  width 
during  the  piece-dyeing  process.   Good  judgment  must  he  used  as  to  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


219 


speed  of  the  dye  kettle,  for  if  it  is  run  at  too  high  speed  the  goods  would 
be  much  too  narrow  by  the  time  they  were  ready  to  be  taken  out. 

Two-tone  piece-dyed  effects  are  very  often  desired,  and  are  usually 
woven  white  and  black.  The  pattern  of  same  might  be  1  and  1  or  2  and  2, 
in  fact,  any  desired  pattern  as  the  case  may  be.  The  white  is  dyed  to  the 
required  shade,  the  black  remaining  intact  The  color  effect  might  be  red 
and  black,  blue  and  black,  or  in  fact  any  color  desired  along  with  the  black. 
The  novelty  fabric  given  herewith  is  a  popular  one,  and  is  finding  ready 
sale  in  the  market.  It  is  shown  here  in  white  and  black  but  may  be  piece 
dyed  if  desired. 


Layout: 

1,920  ends,  9  X  3  =  71"  +  IV2"  for  list- 
ing =  721/^"  over  all. 

36  picks. 
Warp: 

Black  cotton  2^  run. 
Filling-: 

W^hite  worsted  3s — 1 

Black  wool   1    3-16  run — 2  2 

Black  worsted  3s — 1 

Loom  weight  32  oz. 

Finished  weight   25  oz, 

CALCULATIONS. 
1,920    ends   2^    =   8.54    oz.    -h  1% 

take-up   =    9.14  oz. 

6  picks  1-6  white  =    4.14  oz. 

6  picks  1-6  black  =    4.14  oz. 

24  picks  1  3-16  black  =  14.66  oz. 

Loom  weight   =  32.08  oz. 


COST. 

4.14  oz.  white  worsted  +  5%  waste 

=   4.65   oz.    @   68c.  per  lb  =  $  .1976 

4.14  oz.  black  worsted  -f  5%  waste 

=  4.65  oz.  @  78c.  per  lb  =  .2266 

14.66    oz.    woolen   +    20%    waste  = 

18.59  oz.  @  20c.  per  lb  =  .2324 

9.14    oz.    cotton    -f-    15%    waste  = 

10.46  oz.  @  12c.  per  lb  =  .0785 

Cost  of  stock   =  $  .7351 

Manufacturing   =  .3000 

Mill  cost   =  $1.0351 


V^OOL  MIXTURE. 

20%  wool  @  40c.  per  lb  =  $  .080 

20%  cotton  waste  @  12c.  per  lb...=  .024 
60%  shoddy   @   16c.  per  lb  =  .096 

Cost  per  lb   $  .200 


BACK 

□□■■■□■□■□□□■□■□■□■□■□□□■□■□■□□□■□□□□□■■■LjDGBHnnaDBDBDnaBHDDDnBnBnBnBnm 
BnnnaBaBnBnBBnannBBBnnnBBnnnnBB«niinB«aannBBBnnnBnnDDDBn»nnnBBnnDDBBBnaDB 
Bn«nnnBnBnBaBnBBnannBBBnanBnnnBnBnBnBnBnnnnnBnBnnnBBDDBnBDBnBDBnnnBnBDBn 
□BnnDBDDnnaBBBnnnBBaDnnBnBnBnBDDDaaBnBnBnBnnnBnBnBnnDBBnnaDBBBDDDBDDnBnB 
□□BBBnnn«BananBnBnBnBDnnBn«n»nnDBBnnnDBnBDnnBnDDBnBnBnBDBnnjnaBBBnnn«BDD 
BDnnnBnBnDnannDBnBBBnnnBBnnanBBBnDnBBnnnnBBBnDDBBnnBnBaBDBDBnnnnDBBBnnDB 
□□□□□BB«Dnn«nnDnn«BBnnn«nanBnBnBnnnBBnnnn«BBnBnBnDnBnBnBn«nBnnnM  BDBannB 
□BBnnnaBBnnBnBBDDnDBBnnBDaa  jDanBBnnanBBnannBBDnBnBBannDBBnDBDBBnnDnBiiDnB 
□□BaBDanBDnnoDBBBn  DBan , □□BBBnnnBBnnnnBDBnBnBannB jBnBnnnBannn  BBBnnnBBDa 
□□□□BBDnBnBBnnnGBBnDBnBBnnnnBBnnBDBBnnnnBBnnBUBBDn  uBBnnBDBBDnnnBBnGBnBB 
□BBnDBnBBnnnaBBnDBnBBnnnnBBnnBDBBnnDnBBnn  ■■□BBDnnnBBnnBDBBnDnDBBnnBaBB  □□ 
□BnBnBDnnBnBBBDnnBannBDBnBaanBBDnnaBnBnBnBBDDnnBBBDnnBBaanDBBBDnnBnnnnnB 
□□BnBBnDnDBBnnBaBBDnnnBBnDBnBBDnDnBBnnBDBBDnnnBBnnBDBBnnDnBBDDBDBBnnDnBB 
BnBannBnBaBanDBaDDnDBnBDBnBnDnBnBnBDBDBnnDnnBBBDBnBDnDBnBDBDBDBDaDBnBDBn 


[  Listing  Harness 


16  16 
15   15  15  15 

14   14  14  14 

13   13  13  13 

12   12  12  12 


220  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

DUVETYN  SUITINGS 

Duvetyns  are  fabrics  having  a  fine  silky  nap,  in  appearance  some- 
what resembling  a  velvet,  but  differing  materially  in  the  method  of  manufac- 
ture. The  pile  of  the  velvet  is  made  in  the  loom  and  formed  by  ^  cutting 
the  loops  of  silk  formed  in  the  weaving  process,  while  the  surface  of  the 
duvetyn  gets  its  soft  velvety  nap  during  the  process  of  finishing.  It  is  one 
of  a  great  variety  of  the  fabrics  technically  known  as  **face  finished  cloths." 
The  retail  price  of  these  fabrics  bears  but  a  slight  relation  to  their  intrinsic 
value,  the  retailer  being  governed  in  fixing  his  selling  price  more  by  the 
fact  that  the  fabric  is  a  novelty  than  by  the  cost.  That  few  purchasers  are 
able  to  form  an  intelligent  opinion  as  to  the  real  value  of  fabrics  is  a  state- 
ment strongly  confirmed  by  an  examination  of  some  of  the  offerings  of  these 
fabrics  by  several  of  our  large  department  stores.  Prices  on  practically  iden- 
tical fabrics  vary  from  a  dollar  to  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  yard  and  in  some 
instances  an  inferior  fabric  is  priced  higher  than  another  of  really  greater 
value  in  the  same  house.  A  fabric  offered  at  retail,  in  one  instance,  at 
$5.25  per  yard  is  identical  with  that  offered  at  $4.75  by  another  concern 
and  is  sold  by  the  mill  on  regular  terms  for  $1.62 1/^.   The  retailer 


Evidently  is  Obtaining  a  Greater  Profit 

than  is  ordinarily  the  case,  and  more  than  really  is  war- 
ranted under  the  circumstances.  The  manufacturer  certainly 
is  justified  in  feeling  that  the  profits  are  somewhat  unequally  distributed 
and  that  the  high  cost, of  living  should  not  be  attributed  to  him  entirely. 
The  manufacture  of  this  type  of  cloth  should  not  be  so  difiicult  as  to  deter 
anyone  with  the  necessary  equipment  from  engaging  in  its  production.  The 
important  feature  wherein  it  differs  from  the  ordinary  type  of  goods  is  in 
the  stock  mixture  used  for  the  filling  and  the  process  of  finishing.  The 
necessary  machinery  is  usually  found  in  any  well  equipped  plant.  The 
warp  is  usually  entirely  of  ,  worsted  yarns,  either  single  or  two-ply,  depend- 
ing somewhat  on  the  quality  of  the  fabric  to  be  produced.  The  filling  is 
composed  of  wool  and  silk  waste  in  the  true  duvetyn  or  may  be  entirely  of 
wool  in  the  imitations.  The  warp  yarns  may  be  bought  in  the  open  market 
or  manufactured  by  the  mill.  The  larger  factors  in  the  dress  goods  trade 
all  have  the  necessary  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  worsted  yams, 
thereby  avoiding  the  delays  incident  to  having  yarns  made  by  outside  parties, 
and  also,  by  no  means  the  least  important  consideration,  making  a  consider- 
able saving  in  the  cost  of  production.  Yarns  used  in  dress  fabrics  are  to 
a  great  extent  combed  from  ■ 

Crossbred  Wools, 

the  South  American  and  New  Zealand  stocks  forming  the  principal  sources 
of  supply,  though  some  domestic  wools  as  well  as  Australian  crossbreds  are 
also  used.  The  details  of  manufacture  of  worsted  yarns  for  dress  goods  are 
not  essentially  different  from  the  ordinary  methods,  and  need  not  be  enlarg- 
ed upon  at  this  time,  as  we  propose  to  devote  sufficient  space  for  a  thorough 
discussion  of  that  subject  in  a  separate  article.  The  manufacture  of  the  fill- 
ing necessary  to  produce  the  peculiar  finish  is  unlike  the  usual  process  in  a 
few  essential  details.  In  order  to  obtain  the  soft  handle  peculiar  to  these 
cloths,  it  will  be  necessary  to  select  a  fine,  soft  wool  to  blend  with  the  silk 
used  in  making  the  filling.  For  this  purpose  the  fine  twelve-months  Texas 
is  an  excellent  stock.  Care  must  be  used  to  secure  a  wool  free  from  burrs, 
or  to  have  them  all  removed  before  the  stock  is  carded,  in  order  to  avoid  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


221 


necessity  of  picking  them  from  the  goods  in  the  form  of  specks.  A  very 
important  part  of  the  preparation  of  the  stock  is  the 

Scouring  the  Wool. 

In  many  mills  this  process  is  neglected,  or  left  in  charge  of  low-priced, 
unskilled  help,  with  the  inevitable  result  that  the  work  is  not  properly  per- 
formed, and  the  stock  so  damaged  that  it  is  impossible  to  use  it  for  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  intended.  The  most  common  source  of  injury  to  the 
stock  in  the  scouring  process  is  the  use  of  excessive  heat  in  the  scouring 
liquor,  which,  in  combination  with  the  harsh  alkali,  too  often  used  as  a  de- 
tergent, has  an  extremely  injurious  effect  on  the  physical  structure  of  the 
wool  fibre.  The  peculiar  felting  properties  of  wool  are  in  a  great  measure 
due  to  the  unusual  structure  of  the  fibre  itself.  Viewed  under  a  microscope 
it  is  far  different  in  appearance  than  when  seen  by  the  unaided  eye.  The 
fibre  is  seen  to  be  composed  of  three  distinct  parts:  the  center  a  pith-like 
canal,  formed  of  soft  globular  cells,  surrounded  by  a  layer  of  somewhat 
elongated,  tapering  cells,  which  form  the  greater  part  of  the  fibre.  Surround- 
ing the  whole  is  a  layer  of  flattened  cells,  or  horny  scales,  with  a  high  luster 
in  well-grown,  healthy  wool.  This  outer  layer  of  scales  completely  covers 
the  fibre  and  is  attached  to  it  at  the  lower  end,  the  outer  portion  free  from 
and  projecting  a  little  from  the  body  of  the  fibre.  These  scales  form  the  so- 
called  serration  or  imbrication  of  the  wool  filament,  and  are  one  of  the 
principal  causes  of  the  felting  properties  peculiar  to  wool,  and  found  in  no 
other  fibre. to ^ so  great  a  degree.  The  number  of  serrations,  together  with 
the  natural  curl  of  the  fibre,  determine  the  felting  qualities  of  the  wool  al- 
most entirely.  The  injury  of  these  tiny  scales  in  the  scouring  process  will 
have  an  effect  on  the  working  properties  of  the  stock  which  would  seem 
to  be  very  much  out  of  proportion  to  the  damage  done.  For 

Scouring  Fine  Wools 

only  the  best  of  materials  and  soft  water  should  be  used.  The  use  of  soda 
compounds  in  wool  scouring  is  much  to  be  deprecated,  particularly  in  the 
cleansing  of  the  finer  staples.  The  action  of  the  alkali  is  harsh  in  the  ex- 
treme, and  has  a  tendency  to  render  the  wool  less  capable  of  being  spun  to 
fine  counts,  and  also  to  have  a  harsh,  unkindly  feel  in  the  goods.  The  best 
detergents  procurable  should  be  used,  and  tests  made  to  be  sure  that  they 
are  free  from  impurities  of  various  kinds,  not  that  all  impurities  are  of  an 
injurious  character,  but  that  the  price  paid  may  be  for  value  received.  The 
most  common  form  of  impurities  found  in  soaps  are  China  clay,  silicate  ot 
soda  and  resin  as  well  as  common  salt.  None  of  these  have  any  value  as 
scouring  agents,  and  are  simply  added  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  weight. 
A  few  simple  methods  of  testing  soap  should  be  familiar  to  every  one.  The 
excess  of  water  may  be  easily  determined  by  weighing  accurately  a  small 
portion  of  soap,  shave  into  thin  slices  and  dry  until  it  ceases  to  change  in 
weight,  the  loss  of  weight  representing  the  moisture.  For  earthy  and  heavy 
adulterants  a  simple  test  may  be  made  in  this  manner.  A  small  quantity  of 
the  soap  is  dissolved  in  water,  and  sulphuric  acid  (H2S04)  added  to  the  so- 
lution. The  soap  is  disintegrated,  the  heavy  impurities  sink  to  the  bottom 
and  the  grease  und  resin  fioat.  Nothing  better  has  yet  been  devised  for  wool 
scouring  than  a  well  made,  pure  potash  soap.  This  is  much  preferable  to  any 
form  of  soda  Loap  or  compound  of  any  nature  containing  soda.  The  pres- 
ence of  free  caustic  alkali  in  the  detergent  must  be  guarded  against,  as  this, 
in  sufficient  quantity,  will  dissolve  the  wool  fibre.  It  may  be  easily  detected 
by  means  of  an  extremely  simple  test.  A  drop  of  phenol  phthalein  placed  on 
the  soap  will  immediately  turn  pink  in  the  presence  of  free  caustic  alkali. 
For  scouring  our  wool  we  will  use  a  pure,  neutral  potash  soap  with  soft 
water.    This  latter  item  is  important,  as  hard  water  is  very  apt  to  create 


222 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


trouble  in  later  processes.  Its  action  may  be  briefly  described  in  this  man- 
ner. The  acid  in  the  lime  salts,  which  causes  the  hardness  of  the  water, 
unites  with  the  tallow  and  fats  in  the  soap  which  is  disintegrated,  forming 
lime  soaps  which  are  insohible  in  water  and  are  deposited  on  the  wool  in 
the  scouring  bath.  It  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  remove  this  sticky,  pasty 
substance  which  envelopes  the  fibre  completely,  but  if  not  thoroughly  freed 
from  this  lime  soap  at  this  time  further  operations  are  attended  with  consid- 
erable difficulty,  particularly  the  process  of  dyeing,  uneven  results  being  a 
usual  occurrence.  In  the  scouring  process  the  heat  of  the  liquor  is  another 
item  of  seemingly  minor  importance,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  Under  no 
circumstances  should  the  temperature  of  the  scouring  bath  be  allowed  to 
rise  beyond  130  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  a  temperature  of  125  degrees  Fah- 
renheit is  to  be  preferred.  It  is  a  common  error  to  hasten  the  drying  with 
too  high  a  temperature.  By  far  the  best  method  of  drying  wool  is  without 
the  use  of  artificial  heat.  Cloth  made  from  wool  dried  in  the  open  air  will 
have  a  much  better  handle  than  that  in  which  artificially-dried  stock  is 
used.  If  it  is  necessary  to  hasten  the  drying,  the  cold  air  method  should  by 
all  means  be  used  if  possible.  This  is  accomplished  by  forcing  a  current  of 
air  at  its  natural  temperature  through  the  wool  by  means  of  an  exhaust  fan 
or  a  blower. 

The  dye  kettle  often  is  the  scene  of  injury  to  the  spinning  qualities  of 
the  stock,  and  improper  handling  or 

Too  Much  Boiling  Will  Damage  the  Fibre 

so  that  it  will  be  of  much  less  value  than  stock  which  is  of  lower  grade  but 
has  received  proper  treatment  throughout.  In  preparing  a  lot  for  the  picker 
which  contains  silk,  care  must  be  taken  to  oil  only  the  wool.  The  silk  will 
absorb  all  the  oil  required  from  contact  with  the  wool  stock.  The  lot  should 
be  laid  out  with  alternate  layers  of  silk  and  wool,  in  as  nearly  proportionate 
parts  as  possible,  and  put  through  the  mixing  picker  a  sufficient  number  of 
times  to  make  a  thoroughly  homogeneous  blend.  The  cards  must  be  sharp 
and  set  fairly  close  to  comh  out  the  fibres  and  complete  the  mixing.  It  may 
be  necessary  to  slow  up  the  fancy  to  avoid  throwing  out  the  silk,  which  is 
very  lofty,  and  is  readily  charged  with  electricity.  The  condensers  will  re- 
quire to  be  set  a  trifie  closer  than  on  all-wool  yarns  of  the  same  weight.  The 
spinning  of  this  stock  will  not  materially  differ  from  an  all-wool  thread.  As 
before  stated,  the  warp  is  entirely  of  worsted  and  is  prepared  as  usual.  The 
weaving  proceeds  in  the  customary  manner,  and  the  burling  is  done  as  is  the 
custom  on  ordinary  cloths.  In  preparing  for  the  fulling  mill,  a  soaping  ma- 
chine is  necessary  to  secure  an  even  distribution  of  the  soap  over  every  part 
of  the  piece.  The  soap  should  be  a  full-bodied  palm  oil  base  built  up  with 
sufficient  pure  alkali  to  saponify  the  grease  and  oil  and  hold  it  in  suspension 
through  the  fulling  and  washing  operations.  If  the  soap  is  pure  and  of  good 
body  it  should  retain  sufficient  vitality  to  cleanse  the  goods  without  any  re- 
enforcement  in  the  washer.  Use  plenty  of  warm  water  to  float  out  all  the 
excess  soap  and  impurities  before  rinsing.  Cold  water  may  be  used  to  rinse 
the  goods,  which  must  be  thoroughly  clean  before  going  to  the  napper.  Goods 
of  this  character  must  be 

Wet  During  the  Napping  Operation, 

which  may  be  performed  on  a  wire  napper  or  the  teasel  gig.  Water  renders 
the  fibre  soft  and  pliable,  so  that  the  nap  can  be  raised  with  much  more  ease 
and  a  great  deal  less  waste  of  stock  than  would  be  possible  were  they  dry 
during  this  process.  After  the  nap  is  well  raised,  the  pieces  are  placed  on 
the  wet  brush  to  straighten  and  lay  the  fibres,  after  which  they  should  be 
taken  to  the  cropping  shears  to  even  up  the  nap  and  remove  any  long  fi- 
bres. The  next  process  is  a  repetition  of  the  brushing  and  a  treatment  ^by 
steaming  to  increase  the  luster.   This  is  accomplished  by  rolling  on  a  per- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


223 


forated  roller  and  forcing  steam  through  the  piece.  The  goods  are  now 
ready  for  drying  and  tentering,  the  usual  method  being  to  place  them  on  a 
chain  dryer,  which  tenters  and  dries  in  one  operation.  The  pieces  should 
now  be  inspected,  steam  brushed  and  are  ready  for  market,  no  pressing  be- 
ing necessary,  as  it  is  desired  to  have  the  nap  stand  up  similar  to  a  pile 
fabric. 


LAYOUT. 

3,360  ends;    reed  12—4    =   70"   +  for 

listing  =  over  all. 

60  picks 

CALCULATIONS. 

Warp: 

3,360  ends  1/30  worsted  =  3.2  oz. 

+  5%  take-up   =    3.36  oz. 

60  X  71.5 

60  picks  6  run  =    =    7.15  oz. 

600 

Stock  mixture: 

50%  fine  Texas  @  52c  , 

50%  silk  @  56c  


COST. 

3.36  oz.   4-  5%  waste  =  3.54  oz. 

80c.   per  lb  

7.15  oz.  +  15%  waste  =  8.41  oz. 

54c.   per  lb  


Stock  cost   

Manufacturing,  60  picks 


.=  $  .177 

® 

.=  .284 


$  .461 
.=  .375 


Net  mill  cost 


$  .836 


10.51  oz. 


,  =  $  .26 

,  =  .28 

$  .54 

The  above  described  fabric  is  a  plain-faced  cloth  and  a  popular  type  for 
the  present  season.  There  are  many  variations  and  styles  of  these  goods 
shown  in  striped  effects  produced  by  the  introduction  of  silk  threads  at  in- 
tervals so  interlaced  with  the  filling  as  to  form  a  distinct  cut  or  stripe  on 
the  face,  as  a  result  of  there  being  no  nap  at  the  points  where  the  warp  is 
composed  of  silk  threads.  Many  of  these  striped  fabrics  have  no  silk  in  the 
filling  mixture,  are  woven  in  the  grey  and  cross-dyed  with  dyestuffs  which 
do  not  color  the  silk,  forming  stripes  of  a  contrasting  color  with  the  ground. 
We  present  herewith  a  layout  for  a  fabric  of  this  type  of  construction: 


LAYOUT. 


for 


4,200  ends;   reed  10—6   =   70"   +  IV2" 

listing  =    71.5"   over  all. 
60  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,940   ends  1/30   worsted   =   2.8  oz. 

+   5%   take-up   =    2.94  oz. 

1,260    ends    60/2    silk    =    .4    oz.  + 

5%    take-up   =     .42  oz. 


COST. 

2.94   oz.   1/30   worsted    +    5%  waste 

=  3.087  oz.   @    80c.  per  lb  =  $  .154 

.42  oz.  60/2  silk  +  5%  waste  =  .441 

oz.    @   $3.40  per  lb  =  .094 

7.15  oz.  6  run  +  15  %  waste  =  8.41 

oz.   @  54c.  per  lb  =  .284 


60  picks  6  run  =  ■ 


60  X  71.5 


Loom  weight 


600 


3.36  oz. 
7.15  oz. 


Stock  cost   

Manufacturing,  60  picks 


$  .532 
.=  .375 


Net  mill  cost 


$  .907 


A  very  much  superior  type  of  duvetyn  is  that  made  from  two-ply  yarns 
in  both  warp  and  filling.  An  example  of  a  fabric  so  constructed  is  offered  in 
one  of  the  best  Fifth  avenue  stores  at  $5.50  per  yard,  forty-seven  inches  in 
width.  In  another  department  of  the  same  house  is  found  a  duvetyn  made 
entirely  of  silk  at  $6.50  per  yard  in  forty-three  inch  goods.  This  is  a  direct 
importation  and  is  by  far  the  best  example  of  this  type  of  fabric  yet  seen. 
The  warp  of  the  part  woolen  cloth  is  spun  from  fine,  long-staple  wool,  such 
as  a  fine  territory,  and  the  filling  is  composed  of  fifty  per  cent  fine  wool 
blended  with  fifty  per  cent  silk  waste  spun  to  eight  run  slack  twist,  twisted 
to  the  left,  then  doubled  with  six  turns  per  inch  to  the  right,  making  the 
equivalent  of  a  four-run  filling.  A  fabric  of  this  construction  should  be  a 
much  better  type  for  the  mill  from  a  production  standpoint  than  those  first 
described.  The  superior  weaving  qualities  of  a  two-ply  warp  made  from  fine 
wool  is  not  to  be  questioned,  and  should  reduce  the  overhead  charges  some- 
what. The  process  of  manufacture  is  not  materially  different  from  that  for 
the  less  expensive  types  described  above,  nor  is  the  difference  in  the  finish- 
ed fabric  so  markedly  apparent  to  anyone  not  familiar  with  fabrics.  The 


224 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


greater  intrinsic  value  of  the  latter  type  of  construction  will  be  readily  rec- 
ognized by  the  trained  buyer,  and  will  shortly  be  demonstrated  to  the  wearer 
by  the  rapidity  with  which  the  poorer  material  becomes  shabby  and  the  gar- 
ment made  therefrom  shapeless.  In  no  class  of  merchandise  is  it  more  read- 
ily proven  that  the  best  is  ultimately  the  cheapest. 


LAYOUT. 

3,024  ends;  reed  13 1/2 — 4  =  56"  +  11/2"  for 


57  V2"  over  aU. 


oz. 

=  3.78 


listing 
44  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,024   ends   2/48  worsted  ==  3.6 

+  5%   

44  X  57.5 

44  picks  8  run  2-ply  =  

400   • 

Loom    weight   10.105  oz. 

Filling  mixture: 

50%  fine  wool   @   52c  =  $  .26 

50%   silk  waste  @  56c  =  .28 

$  .54 


oz. 
6.325  oz. 


COST. 

3.78  oz.    +   5%  waste   =  3.98  oz.  @ 

96  cents  per  lb  =  $  .239 

6.325   oz.    +    15%    waste    =    7.44  oz. 

@  54c.  per  lb  =  .251 

Stock  cost 
Manufacturing, 


44  picks 


Mill  cost   

8  harness  straight  draw. 


$  .590 
.=  .375 

$  .965 


DOUBLE  AND  TWIST  SUITINGS 

There  are  certain  styles  in  men's  wear  which  it  is  impossible  to  pro- 
duce by  the  use  of  worsted  yarns,  and  which  always  appeal  to  those  in 
search  of  something  a  little  out  of  the  ordinary.  Among  the  fabrics  of  this 
type,  the  fine  woolen  made  from  high-grade  wool  in  two-ply  yarns  is  a 
favorite  with  many  of  our  best  merchant  tailors.  It  possesses  many  ad- 
vantages over  the  fine  worsted  cloth,  in  that  it  is  susceptible  of  being 


Double  and  Twist  Suiting. 

developed  in  rather  bold  designs  without  becoming  glaring,  the  softness 
of  the  yarn  blending  the  outlines  of  the  pattern  into  an  extremely  har- 
monious whole.  It  retains  its  shape  and  fresh  look  longer,  and  after  press- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


225 


ing  has  the  appearance  of  a  new  garment.  For  the  best  effect,  the  wools 
should  be  from  well-grown,  healthy  fleeces  with  fair  length  of  staple. 

In  Scouring, 

especial  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  injury  of  the  fibre  by 
harsh  alkalies  or  excessive  heat  of  the  scouring  liquor.  The  drying  of  the 
stock  should  be  accomplished  by  the  natural  or  cold-air  method,  rather 
than  resorting  to  artificial  heat,  as  the  goods  manufactured  from  such 
stock  will  have  a  much  softer  handle  when  finished.  Avoid  excessive 
poling  in  the  dye  kettle  by  the  use  of  level  dyeing  colors  whenever  ob- 
tainable, and,  above  all,  do  not  boil  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
get  the  shade  and  fasten  the  color  properly. 

Stock  may  be  injured  to  such  an  extent  in  the  operation  that  it  will 
be  found  impossible  to  use  it  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  intended. 
The  stock  must  be  well  opened  and  oiled  in  the  picking,  the  cards  in  first- 
class  order  and  set  fairly  close.  For  work  of  this  character  the  clothing 
should  be  set  with  fine  wire  on  all  the  cards  of  the  set.  The  first  breaker 
should  have  wire  not  coarser  than  No.  30,  with  No.  32,  or  better  yet.  No. 
34  for  the  second  breaker  and  finisher.  With  wire  of  these  sizes  in  good 
condition  there  will  be  no  difficulty  In  producing  a  thread  that  will  be  as 
nearly  perfect  as  can  be  obtained.  The  roving  should  weigh  three  run  for 
six-run  yarn.  For  the  slack  twist  thread  use  two  more  holes  of  twist  than 
for  filling  yarns  of  corresponding  size.  The  twisting  may  be  done  on  a 
mule  or  on  the  ordinary  twisting  frame  as  may  be  the  more  convenient 
method.  The  twist  should  not  exceed  eight  per  inch  for  trousering  cloths 
or  six  turns  per  inch  for  suitings.  The  warps  may  be  dressed  on  a  dry 
frame,  no  size  being  necessary  for  yarns  of  this  quality  and  size. 

The  expense  of  finishing  goods  of  this  description  will  be  less  than  for 
the  ordinary  single  yarn  cloth,  owing  to  the  superior  strength  of  the  two- 
ply  thread.  The  loom  production  should  reach  85  per  cent  of  the  possible 
capacity,  materially  reducing  the  weave  room  expense  per  yard.  The  burl- 
ing should  be  done  over  a  slopipg  table,  perfectly  smooth,  and  preferably 
covered  with  a  sheet  of  tin  or  zinc.  The  hard,  smooth  surface  presented 
by  the  metal  enables  the  burler  to  detect  the  knots  and  slugs  or  bits  of 
foreign  matter  requiring  removal  much  more  easily  than  can  be  done  on  the 
uneven  surface  of  the  ordinary  wooden  bench.  Every  thread  out,  mispick 
or  broken  pick  must  be  replaced  by  the  sewers  before  the  goods  are  sent 
to  the  wet  finishing  department.  The 

Soap  Must  Be  Free  From  Impurities 

of  all  kinds  and  evenly  applied  to  all  parts  of  the  pieces,  either  by  means  of 
a  soaping  machine  or  by  applying  it  to  the  pieces  as  they  are  in  motion  in 
the  fulling  mill.  For  goods  with  white  warps,  scouring  before  fulling  may 
be  advisable,  but  should  not  be  necessary  except  in  rare  instances,  and 
should  not  be  resorted  to  unless  absolutely  necessary,  as  it  requires  more 
time,  labor  and  material,  increasing  the  cost  of  finishing  to  a  considerable 
degree.  If  the  stock  has  been  properly  handled  in  previous  processes,  full- 
ing in  the  grease  will  be  found  to  give  excellent  results.  For  goods  of  this 
grade  the  soap  should  be  a  pure  palm  oil,  made  up  with  sufficient  mild  al- 
kali to  cut  the  grease  and  hold  it  in  suspension  throughout  the  fulling  op- 
eration. When  the  goods  have  been  running  ten  minutes  they  should  be 
tested  to  see  if  the  soap  is  doing  the  work  as  it  should.  The  piece  may 
be  given  a  twist  between  the  hands,  when,  if  the  fulling  is  progressing  as 
it  should,  the  dirt  and  grease  will  ooze  out  with  the  dirty  soapsuds,  or  the 
cloth  may  be  held  over  the  fingers  and  the  thumb  nail  scraped  up  against 
them,  the  impurities  gushing  out  with  the  soap  as  in  the  other  method. 
Do  not  full  to  the  width  required,  but  allow  at  least  an  inch  for  shrinkage 
in  the  further  processes  of  finishing.   


226 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  washing  should  be  started  with  half  an  hour's  work  in  warm,  not 
hot,  water,  which  should  float  out  the  soap  and  dirt.  Open  the  gates  and 
rinse  thoroughly,  then  float  the  goods  with  the  cold  water,  rinse,  drain  and 
extract.  There  should  be  no  occasion  for  adding  soap  in  the  washer,  as 
with  clean  stock  and  pure  materials,  the  soap  used  in  the  fulling  should  re- 
tain sufficient  life  to  thoroughly  cle-anse  the  goods  in  the  washer.  The 
drying  is  done  on  one  of  the  various  forms  of  artificially-heated  ma- 
chines, which  also  tenters  the  goods  to  the  desired  width.  After  drying  the 
pieces  are  back-burled,  brushed  and  sheared.  If  necessary  to  clear  the  pat- 
tern, they  may  be  given  a  light  run  on  the  gig,  but  the  better  plan  would 
be  to  reed  them  a  trifle  narrower  in  the  loom,  and  so  lessen  the  fulling  re- 
quired to  bring  them  to  width.  After  shearing,  they  should  be  brushed, 
sprayed  and  given  a  moderate  pressing,  face  to  the  cylinder.  After  press- 
ing, give  one  run  on  the  dewing  machine,  inspect  and  roll. 

LAYOUT.  COST. 

2,400  ends;   reed  81/2 — 4  =   70"   +   IV2"  for  19.29  oz.   +  15%   =  22.7  oz.   @  52c. 

listing  =  711/2"  over  all.  per  lb  =     $  .738 

44  picks.  Manufacturing   =  .379 

CALCULATIONS.   

2,400  ends  6  run  D.  and  T.  =  8    oz.  ^^^^   ^^^^    $1,117 

+   10%   take-up   =    8.80  oz. 

44  X  71.5 

44  picks  =    =  10.49  oz.  8  harness. 

300 


Loom  weight    19.29  oz. 

Finished  weight  17-17.5  oz. 


SERGES 

The  manufacture  of  staples  of  any  kind  is  one  requiring  the  best  of 
equipment,  modern  machinery  and  skilled  help  in  every  department,  as  com- 
petition is  particularly  keen  in  this  branch  of  the  trade.  In  order  to  become 
a  factor  in  the  trade,  it  is  practically  necessary  to  carry  on  the  whole  process 
of  manufacture  from  wool  to  finished  fabrics  by  the  same  concern.  There 
are  comparatively  few  mills  that  can  go  into  the  market  for  yarns,  weave 
and  finish  the  goods  in  competition  with  mills  having  their  own  spinning 
machinery.  Serges,  originally,  were  fabrics  made  from  medium  grades  of 
wool  spun  to  about  2-32s  for  light  weights  and  having  the  twill  clear  and 
distinct.  The  fabric  had  a  somewhat  harsh  touch  with  a  distinct  rasp  when 
the  fingers  were  rubbed  contrary  to  the  direction  in  which  they  passed 
through  the  press.  The  yarns  used  were  invariably  two-ply  for  both  warp 
and  filling.  At  present,  the  term  serge  covers  nearly  every  fabric  made  in 
black  or  blue  piece  dye,  from  the  seven- ounce  "storm  serge"  for  ladies'  wear, 
made  from  comparatively  low  stock  with  single  yarn  for  both  warp  and  fill- 
ing, all  along  the  line  to  fine  twills  made  from  high- count  yarns  of  fine 
quality. 

One  of  the  factors,  which  perhaps  is  the  strongest  in  causing  certain 
manufacturers  to  enter  the  staple  business,  is  that  while  the  margin 
of  profit  is  smaller  than  on  fancy  goods,  the  market  is  more  dependable.  The 
element  of  design  and  coloring  is  practically  eliminated,  there  is  no  great 
outlay  for  sample  purposes  before  the  market  opens  each  season,  and  a 
major  part  of  the  harassing  detail  work  which  is 

The  Inevitable  Consequence 

of  making  fancy  goods  is  entirely  removed.  Another  feature  that  makes  a 
very  strong  appeal  to  the  mill  owner  must  not  be  lost  sight  of,  which  is  that 
at  the  end  of  the  season  there  is  no  accumulation  of  small  lots  of  yarns  of 
various  colors,  a  state  of  affairs  which  it  is  impossible  to  overcome  entirely 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


227 


even  under  the  best  of  management  in  a  fancy  mill.  One  of  the  most  im- 
portant features  in  the  manufacture  of  serges  is  the  dyeing,  which  is  done 
in  kettles  holding  from  eight  to  twelve  pieces.  There  is  no  department  in 
the  mill  probably  that  receives  so  much  unmerited  criticism  as  the  dye- 
house.  In  other  departments  it  is  possible  to  cover  up  many  mistakes,  but 
there  is  little  chance  for  the  dyer  to  evade  responsibility  for  any  that  he  may 
make,  and  many  times  it  is  his  misfortune  to  have  the  errors  of  others  at- 
tributed to  him.  It  is  very  frequently  the  case  that  shady  goods  are  laid  at 
his  door,  when  the  real  responsibility  for  them  is  in  some  previous  process. 

It  is  very  essential  for  both  dyeing  and  finishing  that  there  should  be 
a  plentiful  supply  of  soft  water,  or  if  this  is  not  obtainable,  the  hardness  of 
the  water  must  be  overcome  by  chemical  means,  except  in  cases  of  tem- 
porary hardness,  which  is  overcome  by  the  simple  expedient  of  boiling.  In 
common  with  nearly  all  goods  woven  in  the  grey,  serges  are  woven  on  the 

Double  Loom  System, 

one  operative  having  charge  of  two  looms,  a  practice  which  reduces  the 
weaving  cost  very  materially.  The  burling  and  mending  are  much  easier 
than  on  colored  goods  and  need  no  special  mention.  The  washing  is  very 
important,  as  any  trace  of  soap  or  dirt  allowed  to  remain  in  the  goods  will 
inevitably  cause  trouble  for  the  dyer.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  ma- 
jority of  cloudy  goods  are  caused  by  insufficient  washing  or  improper  treat- 
ment in  crabbing.  When  the  goods  are  thoroughly  clean,  they  may  be  ex- 
tracted and  are  then  ready  for  the  crab.  Many  finishers  still  prefer  to  use 
the  old  style  two-hole  "Yorkshire  Crab,"  and  undoubtedly  get  very  good  re- 
sults. The  chief  objection  to  its  use  is  not  that  the  results  are  poor,  but 
that  it  is  a  slow  process  and  requires  considerable  more  labor  than  the  more 
modern  method.   There  are  on  the  market 

Continuous  Crabbing  Maciiines 
which  perform  the  work  very  efficiently  and  with  a  minimum  of  labor.  If 
equipped  with  the  two-hole  crab,  the  pieces  should  be  run  on  with  the  edges 
guided  carefully  so  as  to  make  a  square-edged  roll,  run  twenty  minutes  in 
hot  water,  then  twenty  minutes  in  cold.  In  the  second  bowl  give  the  same 
treatment  but  continue  it  for  thirty  minutes.  After  rolling  from  the  crab, 
the  pieces  should  be  carefully  wound  to  protect  them  from  dirt  and  dust. 
They  are  benefited  by  allowing  them  to  remain  on  the  rolls  for  twenty-foui 
hours  before  unrolling  for  the  dyehouse.  The  dyeing  should  present  no  un- 
usual difficulty  if  the  goods  are  clean,  but  if  they  contain  soap  or  grease,  or 
have  been  allowed  to  stand  on  one  end  since  coming  from  the  crabbing  ma- 
chine, instead  of  being  turned  end  for  end  at  intervals,  shady  goods  will  re- 
sult in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  dyer.  Many  dyers  boil  out  the  pieces  in 
from  3  to  5  per  cent  of  Glauber's  salts  as  a  precautionary  measure,  and  find 
that  it  saves  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  worry.  In  the  finishing  process  fol- 
lowing, the  procedure  is  the  same  as  for  any  clear-finished  worsted  fabric. 

LAYOUT. 

3,840  ends;  reed  15^—4  =   62"  +  for 

listing   =   631^"  over  all. 
64  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,840  ends  2/40s  ^  blood  =  5.5  oz. 

+   10%  take-up   =    6.0B  oz. 

64  picks  1/258  %  blood   =    4.60  oz.  g  harness  straight  draw. 

Loom  weight    10.65  oz. 

COST. 

6.05  oz.    4-   5%  waste  =   6.35  oz.  @ 
90c.   per  lb  =  $  .357 

4.6  oz.    4-    3%   waste   =   4.74   oz.  @ 
70c.  per  lb  =  .207 

Stock  cost    $  .564 

Manufacturing,  64  picks   =  .260 


□■■□□■■a 


Mill  cost 


$  .824 


22S 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSAHY 


The  above  layout  is  for  a  56-inch  cloth  to  finish  9%  ounces,  and  is  a 
good  example  of  the  light-weight  serges  made  with  two-ply  warp  and  sin- 
gle filling.  The  more  expensive  cloths  are  made  with  two-ply  yarns  in  both 
warp  and  weft,  which  give  a  more  durable  cloth  certainly  but  one  that  usual- 
ly is  not  of  as  high  a  texture.  Below  we  give  the  layout  and  full  particulars 
for  the  manufacture  of  a  heavy-weight  serge  54  inches  wide,  finished  v/eight 
151/^  to  16  ounces. 

LAYOUT.  COST. 
3,360  ends;   reed  13 — 4   =  64.6"   +   1.4"  for      17.28   oz.    +    5%    waste    =    18.14  oz. 

listing   =  66"  over  all.  @   80c.  per  lb  =  $  .907 

54  picks.  Manufacturing-,  54  picks   =  .275 

CALCULATIONS.   

3,360  ends  2/24   =    8    oz.    +    10%  ^i^^   ^^^^    $1,182 

take-up   =    8.80  oz. 

54X66 

54  picks  2/24  =  ...=    8.48  oz. 

24X  560^2h-16  •  

liOom  weight    17.28  oz. 

Draw  on  eight  harnesses,  straight  draft  and  weave  with  common  twill. 
While  the  name  serge  originally  was  applied  to  fabrics  such  as  are  describ- 
ed in  the  foregoing  article,  it  is  used  to-day  in  speaking  of  many  fabrics  of 
similar  construction  which  are  cross  drawn  and  have  a  design  developed  by 
this  means  and  various  arrangements  of  the  chain.  The  foundation  in  all 
these  is  the  four  harness  even  twill,  the  most  used  of  all  the  methods  of 
interlacing  warp  and  filling  of  which  we  are  cognizant. 


WOOL  PLUSH 

The  popularity  of  napped  cloths  for  ladies'  coats  is  one  of  the  features 
of  the  goods  market  the  present  fall  season.  One  of  the  close  competitors 
of  the  chinchilla  and  zibeline  is  the  so-called  wool  plush.  The  fabric  as  it 
comes  from  the  loom  conveys  no  idea  of  the  beauty  of  the  finished  product. 
In  its  unfinished  state  it  resembles  a  piece  of  burlap  more  than  a  fabric  suit- 
able for  ladies'  wear,  but  a  skillful  finisher,  with  proper  equipment,  is  able 
to  transform  the  rough,  spongy  fabric  into  a  thing  of  beauty.  The  colorings 
most  favored  in  these  cloths  are  rose,  green  and  royal  blue,  although  a  va- 
riety of  other  shades  are  shown  as  well.  The  fabrication  of  the  wool  plush 
requires  no  special  skill,  and  their  manufacture  is  not  at  all  difficult. 

The  most  important  feature  in  their  construction  is  the  selection  of  the 
right  stock  for  the  filling.  Designers  and  superintendents,  whose  entire  ex- 
perience has  been  in  mills  making  fine  cassimeres  and  overcoatings,  are 
somewhat  at  a  loss  when  the  selling  agent  places  a  fabric  of  this  character 
before  them.  In  these  times  of  strenuous  competition  on  the  ordinary  fab- 
rics, the  ability  to  produce  salable  novelties  is  a  considerable  asset  for  any 
concern.  Many  mills  owe  their  continued  success  to  their  versatility  in  fabri- 
cation and  ability  to  produce  the  right  thing  at  the  moment  when  it  Is  in 
greatest  demand.  Cloths  of  a  novel  character  command  a  much  greater 
price  in  the  market  than  those  of  more  intrinsic  value  but  of  ordinary  styla 
The  most  successful  of  our  mills  are  those  which  are  able  to  point  the  way 
rather  than  those  who  are  content  to  follow.  .  One  of  the  most  interesting 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


22^ 


features  of  the  fabric  here  described  is  the  extremely  low  texture  used  to 
develop  such  a  thick  nap.  The  warp  is  entirely  of  cotton,  thirty  ends  per 
inch,  the  weave  a  broken  four-harness  filling  satin  with  twenty-four  picks  of 
a  coa^'  J  woolen  thread  forming  the  greater  part  of  the  cloth.  Manufacturing 
costf  are  relatively  low,  as  a 

Larger  Number  of  Looms 

can  be  operated  per  set  of  cards  than  is  possible  when  both  warp  and  filling 
are  of  carded  yarns.  To  produce  goods  of  this  type  to  the  best  advantage, 
the  mules  should  be  ol  wide  gauge,  capable  of  using  a  bobbin  of  more  than 
ordinary  length,  so  that  the  operation  of  doffing  may  not  hinder  the  yarn  pro- 
duction.- A  copping  machine  should  be  a  part  of  the  equipment,  as  the  cost 
of  putting  the  yarn  in  cop  form  will  be  more  than  offset  by  the  greater  pro- 
duction in  the  weave  room,  owing  to  the  decreased  stoppage  of  the  loom  for 
shuttle  changing.  Burling  and  sewing  are  an  almost  negligible  item  in  the 
finishing  cost  of  fabrics  of  this  kind.  The  warp  should  run  with  practically 
no  breakage  from  morning  until  night,  and  due  care  on  the  part  of  the  weav- 
er will  eliminate  the  necessity  for  sewing  in  broken  picks. 

The  process  requiring  the  greatest  care  will  in  most  cases  prove  to  be 
the  carding.  If  the  equipment  is  fitted  for  the  manufacture  of  fine  yarns,  a 
few  changes  may  be  found  necessary.  In  the  production  of  heavy  yarns 
from  the  stock  required  to  produce  the  desired  effect  it  will  often  be  found 
diflacult  to  make  a  side  drawing  that  will  carry  from  card  to  card  without 
breaking  or  even  to  produce  the  drawing,  as  the  weight  of  the  stock  will  fre- 
quently break  down  the  web  under  the  doffer  comb.  This  is  easily  overcome 
by  placing  a  cone-shaped  roll  the  full  width  of  the  doffer  to  support  the 
stock.  The  cone  may  be  driven  from  a  convenient  shaft  by  means  of  a  belt 
or  piece  of  spindle  banding,  with  a  surface  speed  approximately  that  of  the 
doffer.    In  place  of  the 

Overhead  Carriers 

in  common  use  with  the  Apperly  feed,  a  ''creeper"  may  be  substituted  which 
will  not  strain  the  drawing.  The  tube  for  twisting  the  drawing  should  have 
a  large  aperture  and  sufficient  length  to  support  the  drawing  directly  after 
it  leaves  the  doffer  roll.  The  condenser  aprons  should  be  set  with  a  fairlj 
coarse  gauge,  excessive  rubbing  having  a  tendency  to  form  twits.  The  rov- 
ing must  be  made  less  than  half  draft,  usually  two-thirds  will  give  the  best 
results  and  form  a  round,  plump  thread.  The  finishing  machinery  required 
is  that  usually  found  in  a  fancy  cassimere  mill,  with  the  addition  of  a  wet 
gig.  The  fulling  is  performed  as  usual  with  the  goods  tacked  face  inside, 
then  a  thorough  washing  to  remove  all  the  dirt  and  soap,  otherwise  it  will 
be  found  extremely  difficult  to  raise  the  nap  nicely,  the  soap  or  dirt  remain- 
ing in  the  pieces  having  an  effect  similar  to  paste  or  glue,  binding  the  fibres 
together  in  a  compact  mass.  While  the  goods  are  still  wet,  place  them  on 
the  rolling  machine  to  remove  all  wrinkles  and  allow  them  to  stand  over 
night  on  the  rolls  if  possible. 

An  important  adjunct  to  the  wet  gig  is  a  supply  of  pure,  soft  water.  The 
nap  may  be  raised  much  more  easily  while  the  fibres  are  rendered  soft  and 


230  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


pliable  by  the  moisture  with  much  less  waste  of  stock.  When  the  napping 
process  is  completed,  the  pieces  are  ready  for  the  dyehouse,  where  they  are 
colored  in  a  kettle  holding  from  six  to  twelve  pieces.  Do  not  bring  to  a  boil 
too  rapidly,  but  give  ample  time  to  secure  penetration  in  order  to  avoid  the 
"hungry"  look  sometimes  seen  in  piece-dyed  fabrics.  During  the  dyeing,  it 
is  essential  to  have  the  pieces  run  in  such  a  manner  that  the  water  is  shed  in 
the  direction  of  the  nap.  Rinse  thoroughly  before  removing  from  the  kettle, 
place  on  the  wet  brush  and  have  the  nap  well  straightened,  then  roll  on  per- 
forated cylinders  and  blow  steam  through  followed  by  cold  water,  change 
ends,  repeat  the  steaming  and  cooling,  allow  to  remain  on  the  roll  at  least 
six  hours,  then  dry  to  width.  One  run  on  the  shear  to  remove  the  long  fibre 
is  sufficient,  give  a  thorough  steam  brushing  and  the  goods  are  ready  for 
market,  no  pressing  being  required. 

LAYOUT. 

Warp: 

1,680  ends;  reed  6 — 4   =  70"   +  for 

listing   =   71 V^"  over  aU. 
24  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
1,680  ends  2/16  cotton   =   4  oz.  + 

10%    take-up  =     4.4  oz. 

24  X  71.5 

24  picks  7/10  run  =    =    28.1  oz. 

70   .  

Loom    weight    27.5  oz. 

STOCK  MIXTURE. 

60%   B  super   @   40c  =  $  .24 

40%  white  noils  @  35c  =  .14 


$  .38 

COST. 

4.4  oz.  cotton  @  22c.  per  lb  =  $  .0605 

23.1   oz.    woolen    -f    20%    waste  = 

28.88  oz.  (Q)  38c.  per  lb  =  .6859 


Cost  of  stock    $  .7464 

Manufacturing,  24  picks   =  .2544 


Net    cost    $1.0008 


8  harness  straight  draw. 


■□□□■□□□■O 


^  □■□□□■ic- 


 \DL 

);i  □*□■□□□■□□ 


OUTINQ  FLANNEL 

No  fabric  has  yet  been  developed  which  is  better  adapted  for  the  use 
its  name  indicates  than  the  outing  flannel.  It  is  the  ideal  for  tennis  or 
vacation  wear,  whether  at  mountain  or  seashore,  and  is  adapted  for  either 
men's  wear  or  ladies'  garments.  The  fabric  is  light  and  cool,  drapes  well 
and  is  susceptible  of  a  great  variety  of  uses.  It  should  be  made  of  fairly 
fine  stock  spun  to  five  runs  or  finer  in  order  to  secure  the  firmness  desired 
without  becoming  bulky  or  clumsy  in  appearance.  The  wools  should  be 
carefully  sorted  and  all  defective  locks  thrown  out.  Especial  care  must 
be  given  in  the  scouring  operation  to  avoid  injuring  the  working  qualities 
of  the  wool.  The  soap  used  should  be  a  well-made  potash  compound  free 
from  caustic  alkali  and  impurities  of  every  kind.  The  scouring  liquor  in 
either  bowl  of  the  machine  should  never  be  warmer  than  120  to  130  degrees, 
as  extreme  heat  has  an  injurious  effect  on  the  fibre  and  may  so 

Affect  Its  Spinning  Qualities 

that  it  cannot  be  drawn  to  the  desired  size.  During  the  picking  opera- 
tion there  should  be  an  application  of  four  quarts  of  oil  to 
each  hundred  pounds  of  wool.  The  use  of  a  good  red  or  lard  oil  is  much 
preferable  to  the  mineral  oils,  many  of  which  are  put  out  under  the  name 
Qf  "Wool  Oils."    Mixtures  in  which  one  of  the  colors  forms  a  very  small 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


231 


percentage  should  be  run  through  the  mixing  picker  at  least  three  times 
in  order  to  secure  a  thoroughly  blended  mix.  The  cards  should  be  in  first- 
class  condition,  the  clothing  not  coarser  than  No.  28  wire  on  the  first  breaker 
and  No.  30  on  the  second  breaker  and  finisher.  The  setting  must  be  suffi- 
ciently close  to  clear  the  stock,  but  not  close  enough  to  injure  the  fibre.  If 
the  stock  has  been  properly  selected  and  is  well  carded,  there  will  be  no 
trouble  in  spinning  it  at  40  per  cent  draft,  which  will  insure  a  strong  elastic 
thread  that  will  weave  perfectly.  The  weave  employed  in  this  fabric  is  the 
four-harness  even  twill,  and  as  the  goods  are  laid  wide  in  the  loom  they 
will  take  the  picks  very  easily,  in  fact  the  ease  of  the  weave  may  lead  to 
uneven  goods,  unless  special  care  is  taken  to  see  that  frictions  on  the  beam 
are  nicely  adjusted,  and  that  the  take-up  is  in  good  order.  With  good  yarn 
for  warp  and  filling,  the  goods  should  come  from  the  loom  in  such  condi- 
tion that  the  burling  and  sewing  will  not  require  much  help,  four  girls 
should  be  able  to  take  care  of  the  production  of  40  looms  easily.  Goods  of 
this  character  are  preferably 

Fulled  in  the  Grease, 

and  will  require  special  care  in  this  operation.  Unless  the  fulling  room  is 
provided  with  a  soaping  machine  it  would  be  advisable  to  remove  the 
stretch  plates  from  the  mills  and  in  their  place  fit  up  a  trough  which  will 
guide  the  cloth  into  the  rolls  nicely,  having  a  slight  fiare  toward  the  front. 
Instead  of  applying  the  soap  cold,  have  it  sufficiently  warm  to  flow  through 
the  spout  of  a  can  similar  to  an  ordinary  sprinkler  without  the  spray 
end.  Provide  suitable  steps  or  small  platform  to  enable  the  fuller  to  reach 
the  top  of  the  mill  easily,  and  when  the  pieces  are  ready  for  work  start  the 
mill.  Open  the  top  of  the  mill  and  pour  the  soap  on  the  pieces  as  they 
pass  through  the  trough  to  the  rolls,  vibrating  the  spout  of  the  can  from 
side  to  side,  so  the  soap  will  be  well  distributed.  In  an  experience  of  many 
years,  this  method  of  soaping  has  never  failed  to  give  excellent  results  on 
light  goods  that  frequently  are  hard  to  bring  out  perfect.  All  wool  flannels 
will  require  but  a  short  time  to  full,  and  as  soon  as  they  are  up  to  width, 
should  immediately  be  transferred  to  the  washer.  No  additional  soap  should 
be  necessary  to  cleanse  the  goods  thoroughly.  First  they  should  have  20 
minutes'  work  in  warm  water  which  should  lather  up  in  good  shape  and 
float  out  all  the  dirt  and  oil  in  the  goods,  if,  and  this  cannot  be  too  strongly 
emphasized,  a  good  oil  was  used  in  the  picker  house,  and 

Pure  Soap 

in  the  fulling.  There  are  many  soaps  on  the  market  which  appeal  to  the 
purchaser  because  of  their  low  price,  but  in  many  cases  they  are  much 
more  expensive  than  a  more  costly  article.  For  fulling  flannels  no  tallow 
soap  should  be  used,  as  in  most  cases  it  is  washed  out  with  considerable 
difficulty.  A  pure  palm  oil  soap  free  from  impurities,  with  no  trace  of  free 
caustic  alkali  is  the  best  for  fulling  these  fabrics.  It  is  advisable  to  make 
a  test  of  the  soap  occasionally  to  be  sure  that  it  is  not  loaded  with  various 
impurities  that  add  weight  but  have  no  value  as  detergents.  A  small  quan- 
tity may  be  dissolved  in  water,  then  treated  with  sulphuric  acid.  The  soap 
is  disintegrated  by  the  acid,  the  heavy  earthy  impurities  sink  to  the  bottom 
of  the  solution,  and  the  fatty  portion  floats  on  the  top.  It  is  well  known 
that  caustic  alkali  will  entirely  destroy  the  wool  fibre  if  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity, and  in  smaller  amounts  has  a  very  deleterious  effect  on  the  physical 
structure  of  the  fibre,  causing  it  to  be  tender  and  lose  the  soft  handle  so 
much  desired.  Its  presence  in  the  soap  may  readily  be  detected  by  placing 
a  drop  of  phenolphthalein  on  the  soap,  when  a  pink  color  is  developed  if 
it  contains  free  caustic  alkali.  Wash  the  soap  liquor  off  with  plenty  of 
cold  water  and  allow  the  goods  to  rinse  until  every  trace  of  soap  is  elimi- 


232 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


nated,  then  dry  about  two  inches  wider  than  the  finished  width.  After 
back  burling  they  should  be  inspected  before  running  into  the  shear.  In 

Shearing  Flannels 

the  blade  must  be  set  off  somewhat,  as  the  finish  desired  is  not  close.  The 
nap  should  be  fairly  thick  and  the  raising  brush  in  sufficiently  good  contact 
to  lift  the  fibres  into  position  for  the  blade  to  clip  them  off  evenly.  Before 
pressing  the  goods  should  have  one  or  two  runs  on  the  steam  brush  which 
will  put  them  in  excellent  condition  for  the  press.  If  rolled  on  the  press 
and  allowed  to  cool  off  on  the  rolls  before  the  final  inspection,  the  goods 
will  not  only  handle  better,  but  will  also  retain  the  finish  to  a  greater 
degree. 


LAYOUT. 

2,800   ends;    reed   10 — 4    ==   70"    +   IV2"  for 

listing  =  711/2"  over  all. 
40  picks. 

2,800    ends    5    run    ==    5.6    oz.  -f 

10%   =    6.16  oz. 

711/2X40 

40  picks  514  run  =   =    5.45  oz. 

525   

Lioom  weight    11.61  oz. 


COST. 

11.61  oz.  +  15%  shrinkage  =  13.35  oz. 

13.35  oz.    @  52c.  per  lb  =  $  .434 

Manufacturing,  40  picks   =  .360 

Mill   cost    $  .794 

8  harness,  straight  draw. 
CHAIN. 


SHEPHERD  PLAIDS  AND  TARTANS 

The  popularity  of  the  various  Scotch  effects  is  very  much  in  evidence 
in  the  dress  goods  market  the  present  season,  and  a  description  of  some 
of  the  best  known  patterns  in  these  fabrics  may  not  be  untimely.  The 
shepherd  plaid,  the  best  known  of  any  of  the  tartans,  is  a  simple  black  and 
white  even  check  of  different  sizes.  In  men's  wear  the  4  x  4  is  probably 
the  size  most  in  favor,  while  in  women's  wear  the  larger  sizes  predominate. 
The  tartan  plaids  are  varied  in  sizes  and  colors  from  the  brilliant  contrasts 
of  the  Royal  Stuart  to  the  dull  blues  and  greens  of  some  of  the  more  lowly 
clans.  There  is  a  wide  variety  of  tartans  shown  this  season  in  both  wool 
and  worsted  goods,  the  type  selected  for  analysis  being  a  woolen  fabric 
manufactured  by  one  of  our  best  known  New  England  mills.  The  stock 
used  is  a  B  super  wool,  which  can  be  purchased  at  prices  from  34  cents  for 
a  grey  suitable  for  the  dark  colors  and  38  cents  for  a  stock  which  will  color 
into  the  lighter  shades  used.  By  a  combination  of  these  stocks  it  is  pos- 
sible to  make  up  a  stock  mixture  at  a  very  moderate  price.  The 

Texture  of  the  Fabric 

is  low,  counting  38  ends  per  inch  in  the  warp  and  36  in  the 
filling.  The  only  secret  in  the  manufacture  of  these  goods  is  open  to  every- 
one, modern  equipment  and  efficient  management,  a  combination  that  is 
sure  to  give  satisfactory  results  at  any  time.  The  carding  and  picking  are 
in  charge  of  an  expert  in  the  manufacture  of  yarns  from  low-grade  wools, 
who  is  capable  of  getting  the  most  possible  yarn  from  a  given  amount  of 
stock.  The  production  of  the  mules  is  higher  than  that  obtained  in  the 
average  mill  and  of  good  quality,  so  that  there  is  no  loss  of  time  in  the 
weave  room  as  a  result  of  poor  yarns.  The  finishing  of  goods  of  this  char- 
acter is  similar  to  the  process  used  in  the  making  of  any  ordinary  cassi- 
mere.  All  goods  are  fulled  in  the  grease  with  a  good  grade  of  palm  oil 
soap,  free  from  impurities  of  all  kinds,  built  up  to  the  required  strength  by 
use  of  a  pure,  mild  alkali.  From  the  fulling  mills  they  are  taken  directly 
to  the  washer,  where  the  grease  and  dirt  are  readily  floated  out  in  a  bath 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  pure  warm  water,  which  must  be  soft,  if  clean  goods  are  to  be  obtained. 
The  drying  is  done  with  a  chain  dryer  in  a  moderate  heat,  the  goods  back 
burled,  brushed  and  sheared.  After  shearing  they  are  inspected  over  a 
perch  and  imperfections  repaired  if  any  are  found.  A  run  over  the  brush 
precedes  the  pressing,  which  is  followed  by  a  final  examination  before  rolling 
up  for  shipment. 

11.96  oz.   +  20%  waste  =    15  oz. 

15  oz.  @  34.2c.  per  lb  

Manufacturing,  40  picks   


LAYOUT. 

W  arp : 

2,160    ends;    reed    8 — 4    =  67%" 
for  listing   =  69"  over  all. 
Filling: 
36  picks, 

STOCK  AVERAGE  COST. 

70%  grey  B  super   @  34c  

30%  ordinary  B  super  @  38c  ■■ 


+  1%" 


Mill  cost 
Selling   


.238 
.104 


2,160  ends  4 
take-up    .  . 


36  picks  4%  run  =  • 
liOom  weight 


run  =  5.4  oz. 
36X69 


4.125 


$  .342 

10% 
.  ..=    5.94  oz. 


.  =    6.02  oz, 
11.96  oz. 


Profit   

Selling  price 


=  $ 

.321 

.275 

$ 

.596 

.170 

$ 

.766 

.084 

$  .850 


GABARDINE  DRESS  GODDS 

One  of  the  much  advertised  new  fabrics  for  dress  goods  purposes  is  the 
gabardine,  which  originally  was  used  solely  for  the  manufacture  of  outer 
garments,  such  as  cloaks  suitable  for  protection  from  the  rain.  In  ancient 
times  the  term  was  applied  to  the  garment  itself  and  had  no  reference  to 
the  material  from  which  it  was  made,  but  at  the  present  time  the  name 
gabardine  is  used  solely  to  denote  the  fabric,  which  is  used  for  a  variety  of 
purposes.  In  the  heavier  weights  it  is  commonly  used  to-day  in  the  manu- 
facture of  raincoats,  and  when  so  used  is  usually  treated  either  by  chemical 
means  or  mechanical  applications,  so  as  to  render  it  both  repellant  and 
practically  waterproof.  The  methods  of  waterproofing  are  many,  and  the 
end  in  view  is  accomplished  in  a  variety  of  ways.  Some  of  the  goods  are 
treated  in  the  washer  with  various  mineral  salts  after  scouring,  while  a 
method  pursued  by  other  manufacturers  is  to 

Apply  the  Waterproofing  Material 

in  the  form  of  a  waxy  mixture  by  means  of  friction  of  the  cloth  over  a 
suitable  receptacle  filled  with  the  substance  used,  as  the  goods  enter  the 
press.  The  action  of  the  press,  together  with  the  heat  present,  distributes 
the  proofing  and  causes  it  to  thoroughly  permeate  the  fibres  and  become 
to  all  intents  and  purposes  an  integral  part  of  the  cloth  itself.  It  is  odor- 
less, colorless  and  elastic,  causing  no  perceptible  difference  in  the  appear- 
ance or  handle  of  the  goods,  but  will  not  permit  of  water  passing  through. 
It  would  naturally  be  supposed  that  such  treatment  would  render  the  goods 
impervious  to  the  passage  of  air,  making  the  garments  extremely  uncom- 
fortable to  wear,  but  such  is  not  the  case,  and  for  this  reason,  fabrics  so 
treated  have  to  a  great  extent  superseded  the  rubber-coated  cloths  hereto- 
fore so  extensively  used  in  the  production  of  rainy-day  garments.  It  is 
possible  to  treat  fabrics  made  from  cotton,  wool,  worsted  or  mohair  so  that 
ordinary  suitings  may  be  made  waterproof,  enabling  one  to  dispense  with  an 
extra  garment  as  protection  against  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  if  it  is 
so  desired. 

The  larger  proportion  of  gabardines  are  made  in  the  single  cloth  con- 
struction, though  for  v/ear  in  the  colder  weather  there  are  fabrics  produced 


234 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


with  two  systems  of  warp,  having  a  filling  common  to  both  and  also  true 
double  cloths.  The  latter  type  of  construction  is  used  almost  entirely  for 
the  manufacture  of  fabrics  with  plain  or  single  tone  face,  with  fancy  back, 
usually  in  the  form  of  plaids,  which  give  the  appearance  of  a  lining  to  the  gar- 
ment. The  manufacture  of  fabrics  of  either  type  requires  no  special  machin- 
ery, nor  is  the  waterproofing  a  process  of  any  particular  difiiculty.  The  process 
of  proofing  after  scouring  can  be  carried  on  In  the  ordinary  type  of  washing 
machine  in  common  use  in  woolen  and  worsted  finishing  rooms,  while  the 
**dry"  system  of  proofing  requires  a  suitable  receptacle  for  the  proofing 
material,  with  means  for  placing  in  contact  with  the  face  of  the  goods  as 
they  pass  toward  the  press  cylinder.  In  the  better  grades,  gabardines  are 
made  from  two-ply  yarns,  both  in  warp  and  filling,  the  less  expensive 
cloths  having  two-ply  warps  and  single  filling.  The  type  of  fabric  selected 
for  analysis  is  nine  ounces  in  weight  and  fifty-four  inches  wide  inside  the 
listing,  intended  for  ladies'  suitings.  We  have  chosen  a  fabric  selling  at 
retail  over  the  counter  of  our  department  stores  at  $2.50  per  yard.  This 
price 

May  Seem  Extremely  High 

for  a  fabric  of  the  weight  and  texture  here  described,  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  retail  price  is  of  necessity  high  compared  with  the  mill  cost, 
owing  largely  to  the  very  extravagant  merchandise  methods  in  vogue. 
This  is  more  especially  true  of  merchandise  usually  purchased  by  women. 
They  require  large,  well  lighted  stores,  with  ample  show  rooms,  rest  rooms, 
quick  service  and,  in  most  instances,  delivery  of  even  the  most  insignificant 
purchases.  This  method  of  doing  business  entails  on  the  merchant  an  enor- 
mous expense  for  rent,  heat,  light,  and  possibly  the  greatest  of  all  for  serv- 
ice. In  this  latter  item  is  included  the  cost  of  maintaining  an  elaborate 
delivery  equipment,  by  means  of  which  milady  may  have  a  spool  of  silk 
delivered  at  her  residence.  All  these  items  are  a  very  material  aggregate  in 
the  expense  of  conducting  a  mercantile  business  and  add  not  a  little  to  the 
cost  of  goods  to  the  ultimate  consumer.  While  it  is  possible  for  many  mills 
to  market  their  product  for  from  3  to  5  per  cent,  the  cost  of  selling  at  retail 
in  many  instances  is  over  25  per  cent,  which,  with  a  fair  profit  for  the 
merchant,  necessitates  a  considerable  advance  over  the  price  at  which  the 
goods  are  purchased  from  the  manufacturer. 

In  order  to  manufacture  piece-dyed  gabardines  at  a  fair  profit  it  is 
almost  imperative  that  the  mill  manufacture  its  own  yarns.  In  these  days 
of  hard  competition  on  staple  and  semi-staple  cloths  no  item  of  saving 
should  be  neglected,  profits  are  in  the  large  turnover  with  expense  of  man- 
ufacture reduced  to  the  lowest  possible  figure.  The  successful  mill  must 
eliminate,  as  far  as  possible,  paying  profits  to  other  manufacturers  by  carry- 
ing on  every  process  required  to  turn  out  the  finished  goods  in  its  own  plant. 
Another  great  advantage  in  so  doing  is  the  fact  that  many  tedious  waits  for 
yarns  may  be  avoided  by  a  mill  equipped  to  supply  its  own  needs  in  this 
direction.  The  objection  may  be  made  that  the  expense  of  such  an  equip- 
ment is  prohibitive  to  the  small  weavers,  which  may  be  very  true,  and  it 
is  also  true  that,  as  a  general  proposition,  the  small  weaver  should  not 
attempt  to  manufacture  goods  which  are  generally  regarded  as  the  logical 
product  of  the  large  corporation.  The  opportunities  for  the  smaller  mill 
are  varied  and  extensive  enough  without  entering  this  field.  For  the  fabric 
under  discussion  we  shall  need  a 

Fine  Territory  Wool, 

which  may  be  purchased  in  to-day's  market  at  20  to  21  cents,  which,  with 
the  ordinary  shrinkage,  will  cost  50  to  52  cents  clean.  This  cost  is  the 
average  for  the  whole  fleece,  and  to  this  must  be  added  sufficient  to  allow 
for  the  lower  value  of  the  sorts  rejected.    The  scouring  of  wools  of  this 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


235 


grade  should  be  done  with  the  best  detergents  obtainable,  free  from  impuri- 
ties of  all  kinds  and,  above  all,  with  no  trace  of  free  caustic  alkali.  A  test 
of  the  materials  should  be  made  frequently,  so  that  no  lot  may  be  used  with 
is  not  up  to  the  standard  of  quality,  not  alone  to  check  cost  against  value, 
but,  more  important  than  the  question  of  cost,  to  see  that  they  contain  noth- 
ing which  is  harmful  to  the  fibre  itself;  Soaps  are  possibly  the  most  fre- 
quently adulterated  materials  purchased  by  the  manufacturer  and  should 
be  often  subjected  to  tests  for  value  and  cleansing  properties.  Adulterants 
in  common  use  are  china  clay,  common  salt,  silicate  of  soda  and  resin; 
also  an  excess  of  moisture  is  frequently  present.  Tests  for  all  these  are 
so  simple  and  well  known  that  they  need  not  be  given  in  detail  at  this 
time.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  detergents  contain  no  free 
caustic  alkali,  the  detection  of  which  is  simple  and  requires  no  apparatus 
whatever.  A  drop  of  phenolphthalein  placed  on  the  soap  in  question  will 
immediately  develop  a  pink  color  if  free  caustic  alkali  is  present.  The  use 
of  hard  water  and  excessive  heat  are  two  things  to  be  avoided  in  wool 
scouring,  the  first  from  the  fact  that  it  is  practically  impossible  to  scour 
w  ool  by  its  use  and  the  second  because  too  high  a  temperature  in  the  scour- 
ing bath  has  an  injurious  effect  on  the  fibre,  rendering  it  less  capable  of 
being  worked  to  advantage  in  subsequent  processes.  In  many  cases  wool 
which  should  easily  be  spun  to  40s  or  finer  cannot  be  spun  finer  than  32s 
or  33s,  because  of  bad  handling  in  the  scouring  room.  Instead  of  rinsing 
the  stock,  as  is  customary  in  scouring  clothing  wools,  the  last  bowl  should 
contain  a 

Weak  Scouring  Liquor, 

which  will  act  as  a  lubricant  in  the  carding,  and  the  stock  should  not  be 
too  thoroughly  dried,  as  the  slight  moisture  retained  in  the  fibre  will  permit 
of  more  easily  opening  the  stock  in  carding,  produce  less  waste  in  the  card- 
ing with  a  material  reduction  of  the  noils,  as  there  will  be  a  smaller  num- 
ber of  short  broken  fibres  to  be  removed  by  the  combs.  By  the  use  of 
well  selected  wools,  properly  treated,  the  percentage  of  noils  made  may*  be 
reduced  to  12i/^  per  cent,  or  possibly  less,  a  material  reduction  in  the  ulti- 
mate cost  of  the  yarn,  as  the  yarn  cost  is  intimately  associated  with  the 
quantity  which  may  be  spun  from  a  given  amount  of  wool.  The  inter- 
mediate operations,  gilling,  drawing,  etc.,  usually  present  no  difficulties,  but 
on  the  roving  frames  there  are  opportunities  for  producing  poor  work  that 
should  be  carefully  avoided.  The  top  rolls  should  be  examined  at  frequent 
intervals  and  all  defective  rolls  replaced  with  those  that  are  perfect,  so  that 
imperfect  yarns  and  slugs  may  not  cause  extra  work  in  the  finishing  room. 

The  filling,  used  single  in  the  example,  should  have  especially  good 
care,  as  there  is  no  opportunity  for  inspection  of  this,  it  being  woven 
directly  from  the  spinning  bobbins  in  nearly  every  instance.  Inspection  of 
the  warp  yarns  should  be  thorough  and  is  best  performed  as  the  yarns  are 
spooled,  or  rather  run  from  one  spool  to  another  over  a  board  painted  black, 
in  the  case  of  yarns  in  the  grey;  in  fact  it  will  be  conducive  of  better  re- 
sults if  yarns  to  be  dyed  are 

First  Spooled  and  Inspected 

in  this  manner  before  putting  into  skeins.  While  it  is  the  common  practice 
to  dress  piece-dye  fabrics  of  this  character  on  dry  frames  and  weave  with- 
out sizing  the  warps,  better  results  will  be  obtained  if  the  warps  are  run 
through  the  slasher  and  given  a  slight  sizing.  To  many  this  will  appear  as 
an  unnecessary  expense,  but  the  consequent  better  production  in  the  weave 
room  with  reduced  expense  of  sewing  will  in  most  cases  overbalance  the 
cost  of  this  operation.  It  is  by  such  methods  as  these  which  tend  to  reduce 
the  most  expensive  item  in  production  cost,  that  is,  hand  labor,  that  man- 
ufacturing expenses  are  reduced  to  a  minimum  and  the  production  raateri- 


236 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ally  increased.  There  are  probably  no  mills  making  this  type  of  fabric 
which  do  not  operate  on  the  two-loom  system,  and  it  is  essential  that  the 
warps  should  be  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible.  Careful  attention  to  details 
that  are  apparently  unimportant  are,  therefore,  required  in  order  that  the 
weaver  may  be  able  to  give  the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  watching  the  filling 
and  avoiding  imperfections  of  various  kinds.  The  fixer  should  see  that  every 
part  of  the  loom  is  in  perfect  adjustment  to  do  the  best  possible  work, 
shuttles  smooth,  reed  straight,  and  all  straps  in  good  condition,  with  the 
stop  motion  in  perfect  working  order.  Under  these  conditions  an  82-inch 
loom  with  17-ounce  shuttles  may  easily  be  operated  at  a  speed  of  120  picks 
per  minute.  After  the  cloth  is  taken  from  the  loom  it  should  be  inspected, 
imperfections  marked  and  the  yardage,  with  other  necessary  data,  recorded 
on  sheets  provided  for  this  purpose. 


The  Burling  Requires  Care. 

All  knots  should  be  raised  and  broken  off  with  ends  long  enough  to  prevent 
drawing  back  during  the  finishing.  In  addition  to  performing  the  actual 
work  of  burling  the  operatives  should  mark  every  imperfection  needing  the 
attention  of  the  sewers,  which  may  have  escaped  the  notice  of  the 
percher.  The  sewers  must  repair  all  threads  out  and  mispicks,  replace 
hard  twist  threads  and  reduce  the  slugs  or  sew  in  perfect  yarns  to  replace 
them.  All  work  of  this  nature  should  be  done  in  the  flannel,  if  possible, 
as  there  is  much  less  liability  of  its  showing  in  the  finished  fabrics  than 
if  made  after  the  goods  have  been  scoured.  From  the  sewers 
the  pieces  are  taken  to  the  wet  finishing  room  and  should  be  scoured  with  a 
light  neutral  soap,  either  a  palm  oil  or  potash  soap  would  do  the  work  very 
nicely.  A  tallow  soap  is  never  advisable  for  worsted  scouring,  as  it  is  not 
easily  removed  and  may  lead  to  serious  trouble  in  the  dyehouse.  As  there 
is  comparatively  little  dirt  or  oil  in  the  goods  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
use  a  soap  of  much  body  or  strongly  fortified  with  alkali.  In  the  majority 
of  cases  a  mixture  of  two  ounces  of  soap  to  a  gallon  of  water  with  two  to 
three  ounces  of  urine  substitute  will  cleanse  the  goods  thoroughly.  Unless 
the  pieces  are  to  lie  some  time  before  dyeing  they  need  not  be  dried  but 
taken  at  once  to  the  continuous  crab  from  which  they  will  emerge  thoroughly 
set  and  rolled  tightly  on  wooden  rolls,  where  they  should  remain  at  least 
24  hours,  the  rolls  being  turned  end  for  end  at  intervals  of  six  or  eight 
hours. 

If  the  goods  are  free  from  soap  and  dirt  there  should  be  no  trouble  in 
bringing  out  perfect  goods  free  from  shades  either  from  end  to  end  or  side 
to  center.  Should  there  be  any  doubt  in  the  mind  of  the  dyer,  it  might  be 
well  to  give  them  a  preliminary  boiling  out  in  Glauber's  salt.  The  kettle 
should  not  be  overcrowded  nor  brought  to  a  boil  too  rapidly.  When  brought 
to  shade  cool  off,  rinse,  extract  and  dry.  A  run  on  the  brush  will  put  the 
pieces  in  condition  for  shearing,  an  operation  requiring  considerable  care 
The  shear  itself  must  be  in  first-class  condition  in  order  to  give  the  thread 
the  finish  desired.  After  shearing,  the  goods  should  be  perched,  and  itn 
perfections  repaired  that  may  be  found,  then  brushed,  dewed  and  pressed. 


T.AYOUT. 

5.120  encls;  reed   16X    5  =   64"   +   IV2"  for 

Msting   =   651/2"  over  all. 
90  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
5  120   ends   2/48    =    6.09   oz.    +  5% 

take-up   =    6.39  oz. 

90  picks  1/32   =    5.27  oz. 


T-oom    weight    11,66  o?;. 

Finished  weight  IQ  p?$, 


COST. 

6.39  oa.    +   5%  waste   ==   6.71  oz.  @ 

96c.  per  lb  =  $  .4026 

5.27  oz.    +   3%  waste  =  5.43  oz.  (9) 

82c.  per  lb  =  .2783 

$  .6809 

Manufacturing:,   90  picks   =  .4250 


Net  mill   cost    $1.1059 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


237 


BEDFORD  CORD 

The  type  of  fabric  known  as  Bedford  cords  are  being  shown  for  fall  in 
a  variety  of  constructions  and  a  wide  range  of  colors.  It  is  some  little  time 
since  these  fabrics  have  been  among  the  leaders  in  popular  favor,  and  as 
they  are  selling  well  this  season,  it  may  be  that  an  analysis  of  two  of  the 
best  sellers  will  be  acceptable  to  our  readers.  The  lighter  weights  of  these 
cloths  are  particularly  well  adapted  for  suitings  and  a  slightly  heavier  cloth 
is  made  up  into  coats  that  are  very  attractive.  The  present  season  they  are 
shown  in  solid  colors  as  well  as  fancies,  the  most  popular  styles  being  de- 
veloped in  a  line  of  mixtures  with 

Silk  Decorations. 

The  manufacture  of  these  fabrics  is  not  particularly  difficult  and  can  be 
undertaken  by  any  mill  having  fancy  looms  with  a  sufficient  number  of 
harness.  The  finishing  is  the  same  as  for  the  larger  part  of  worsted  dress 
goods  and  requires  no  special  machinery  of  any  kind.  The  warps  may  be 
made  of  either  single  or  two-ply  yarns,  the  filling  in  nearly  every  instance 
is  single,  woven  from  the  cop  or  bobbin  as  it  comes  from  the  spinner,  with- 
out rewinding,  a  considerable  saving  in  time  and  lab  r.  If  single  yarns  are 
used  for  the  warps,  they  must  be  dressed  on  a  wet  frame,  and  well  sized, 
otherwise  the  weaving  will  be  accomplished  with  a  great  deal  of  difficulty 
and  consequent  loss  of  production.  It  cannot  be  emphasized  too  strongly 
that  success  in  the  manufacture  of  dress  goods  or,  in  fact,  of  any  fabric,  is 
to  a  very  large  degree  dependent  upon  the  use  of  stock  or  yarns  suitable 
for  the  production  of  the  goods.  This  is  particularly  true  in  the  manufactur- 
ing of  cloths  in  which  single  yarn  is  used  for  warp.  The  yarn  must  be  spun 
from  long  staple  fine  wools  and  given  careful  attention  in  every  process  or 
the  results  will  be  far  from  satisfactory. 

LAYOUT. 

3,868   ends;   16  reed.   4  in  dent    =   62"  + 

11/2"  for   listing   =   631/2"  over  all. 
68  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3.868  ends  1/26   =   4.25  oz.   +  10% 

take-up   =    4.67  oz. 

78  X  631/2 

78  picks  =   =    4.33  oz. 

32X560--16   

Loom  weight    9.00  oz. 

COST. 

9    oz.    +    5%    waste    =    9.45    oz.  (S) 

75c.  per  lb  =  $  .433 

Manufacturing   =  .375 

Mill   cost    $  .808 

Finished  width  52". 
Finished  weight  8  oz. 

Some  very  pleasing  variations  from  the  plain  fabric  described  above 
are  obtained  by  the  use  of  slub-dyed  yarns  instead  cf  the  grey  which  was 
used  for  the  piece-dyed  cloth.  The  designer's  skill  in  weave  combination 
can  also  be  called  into  play  with  some  very  effectiv  results,  the  tasteful 
blending  of  colors  adding  to  the  beauty  of  the  finished  fabric.  There  are 
several  very  pleasing  effects  of  this  character  among  the  offerings  for  the 
new  fall  season.  Several  styles  noticed  particularly  have  threads  of  silk 
twist  to  bring  out  the  pattern,  while  in  some  of  the  most  attractive  the 
decorative  threads  are  of  raw  silk.  Others  are  made  with  the  ground  en- 
tirely composed  of  nicely  blended  mixtures  or  twists  of  contrasting  colors. 


-  ^■□■■□■□■n 

■□■□■□■■■■□a 


O 


238 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Details  are  given  below,  for  a  novelty  with  a  plain  warp;  and  three  colors 
used  in  the  filling,  producing  an  odd  spot  effect  in  alternate  ribs. 

LAYOUT.  COST. 

3,868   ends;   16   reed,    4    in   dent    =  62"    4-       9  oz.  +  5%  waste  =  9.45  oz.  #  85c. 

IV2"  for  listing  =  63  V2"  over  all.  per  lb  =  $  .502 

68  picks.  Manufacturing   =  .425 

CALCULATIONS.  Mill  cost    $  .927 

3,868  ends  1/26  =  4.25  oz.    +  10% 

take-uD   =    4.67  oz. 

78  X651/2 

78  picks  1/32  =    =    4.33  oz. 

32X  560-5-16  .  

Loom  weight    9.00  oz. 

1»  16 

15  15 
14  14  14 

13  13  13 

12         12  12 
11         11  11 
10  10  10  10 

9  9  9  9 

8  8 
T  7 
6  6  6  6 

5  5  &  ft 

4  4  4 

3  3  3 

2  2  2 

J  1  1 

2x  2x  2x  2x 


FILLING  PATTERN. 


.  1 

^    L ■□■■□■□EDHHaBDn  3 

^  2 
^  2 

Another  Example, 

showing  a  different  weave  combination  with  decorations  of  raw  silk,  is  given 
in  the  layout  below.  In  this  style  the  ground  weave  is  the  eight-harness 
satin  instead  of  the  brochet  used  in  the  two  previous  fabrics.  The  warp 
is  a  two-ply  mixture  thread,  the  filling  single  yarns  of  the  mixture.  The 
comparatively  loose  weave  employed  gives  a  cloth  that  is  much  softer  than 
either  of  those  preceding  it. 


LAYOUT. 

4,500  ends;  14i/^   reed,   5  in  dent   =  62" 

11/2"  for  listing  =  63i^"  over  all. 
70  picks. 

Finished  width  52". 
Finished  weig-ht  7  oz. 

CALCULATIONS. 
600   ends    60/2   silk    =    .19    oz.  -f- 


COST. 

.199  oz.   +   5%  waste  =  .209  oz. 

$3.90  per  lb  

4.18  oz.   +   5%  waste  =  4.39  oz. 

$1  per  lb  

3.53  oz.   +3%  waste  =   3.64  oz. 

86c.   per  lb  


3,900  ends  2/56  worsted  =  3.98  oz. 

4-    5%   = 

70X631^ 

70  picks  1/36  wstd. 


Loom  weight 


36X  560-^16 


.199  oz. 
4.180  oz. 
3.530  oz. 
7.909  oz. 


Stock  cost   

Manufacturing,    70  picks 


Mill  cost 


$  .0510 

.2743 

.1820 

$  .5073 
.4000 

$  .9073 


60/2  silk. 
2/56  worsted. 


DRESSED. 
I  2 





WOOLEN  AND  W01lSTiE3D  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


23d 


BEAVERS 

In  various  districts  in  England  the  fabric  which  we  call  beaver  is 
sometimes  designated  as  kersey,  the  two  fabrics  being  very 
similar  in  many  respects,  and  are  therefore  often  classed 
as  the  same.  In  other  districts  they  are  known  as  a  soft-finished  kersey, 
which  is  the  true  description  of  a  beaver  cloth.  Again  in  Scotland  there  is 
a  beaver  fabric  which  is  altogether  different  from  any  of  the  above.  The 
Scotch  beaver  is  a  soft,  spongy  cloth,  something  like  a  chinchilla  in  con- 
struction, well  napped,  and  in  place  of  the  chinchilla  finish  it  is  cropped  to 
show  a  fur-like  finish.  The  nap  is  fairly  long,  the  final  napping  being  done 
without  the  use  of  the  laying  brush,  and  the  nap  stands  up  fluffy  and  fur- 
like. 

In  our  markets  the  beaver  cloth  is  generally  understood  to  be  almost 
the  same  as  a  kersey,  but  of  a  softer  make,  adaptable  for  ladies'  cloakings, 
and  it  stands  in  the  same  relation  in  the  cloaking  trade  as  the  kersey  does 
in  the  men's  wear  overcoating  market,  and  it  may,  therefore,  be  designated 
as  a  sister  fabric  to  a  kersey.  There  are  two  kinds  of  beavers,  ''hard  backed," 
that  is,  the  back  is  finished  natural  without  any  gigging,  while  the  soft 
backed  beaver  is  made  with  a  quality  of  stock  which  can  be  napped  into  a 
soft,  fluffy  back.  Very  often  camel's  hair  is  used  in  the  backing,  and  when 
napped  it  gives  a  bulky,  soft  piece  of  cloth,  with  a  fine  face  similar  to  a 
kersey.  It  is  usually  dyed  into  fancy  shades,  such  as  tans,  blues,  browns, 
etc.,  suitable  for  the  cloaking  trade.  There  has  been  little  or  no  demand 
for  beavers  for  many  years,  the  trade  being  mostly  on  rough-faced  fabrics 
of  a  cheviot  nature.  The 

Processes  in  Manufacturing 
beavers  are  very  similar  to  the  manufacture  of  broadcloths  and  kerseys, 
and  a  fine,  good  felting  wool  for  the  face  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order 
to  get  a  desirable  nap.  The  cloth  is  laid  narrower  in  the  loom,  as  it  is  not 
necessary  to  full  so  much  in  width  and  as  less  fulling  is  required  in  length, 
the  cloth  must  come  heavier  from  the  loom  than  a  kersey  cloth,  that  is 
heavier  in  proportion  to  the  finished  weight.  These  are  the  main  points  of 
difference,  and  the  manufacturer  must  guide  himself  in  making  beavers  by 
remembering  that  they  are  a  soft-finished  fabric,  not  hard  like  a  kersey. 

The  face  yarns,  both  warp  and  filling,  are  spun  fine,  the  average  being 
4-run  warp  and  4i/^-run  filling,  and  in  many  fabrics  it  is  even  spun  finer,  but 
when  the  latter  is  the  case  there  is  danger  of  getting  too  thin  a  face,  that 
is,  the  veneer  of  fine  yarns  is  very  thin,  and  unless  great  care  is  taken  in 
the  napping  there  is  a  possibility  of  getting  the  face  soft  and  tender,  which 
would  render  the  cloth  unfit  for  use  in  a  serviceable  garment.  In  all  face- 
finished  fabrics,  such  as  broadcloths,  kerseys  and  beavers,  the  finishing 
process  plays  a  most  important  part,  in  fact,  the  finishing  of  such  goods 
is  the  all-important  part,  and  will  either  make  or  mar  the  goods.  The  fin- 
ishing process  includes  everything  from  the  loom  to  the  case.  The  cloth  as 
it  comes  from  the  loom  is  totally  unfit  for  use.  It  may  be  likened  to  a  build- 
ing which  has  just  passed  out  of  the  masons'  or  bricklayers'  hands  and  is 
ready  for  the  plasterers,  carpenters  and  painters  to  beautify  and  complete. 
It  is  in  a  very  imperfect  condition,  full  of  knots,  broken  threads,  slubs 
grease,  etc.  The  aim  of  the  finisher  is  to  remove  all  these  imperfections, 
cleanse  the  cloth  and  restore  the  natural  brightness  and  luster  to  the  wool. 

A  mere  glance  at  the  different  wools  used  and  the  various  fabrics  made 
for  both  ladies'  and  gentlemen's  wear  will  show  that  several  processes  are 
necessary  to  get  the 

Various  Finishes. 

In  fact  we  may  say  that  every  variety  of  cloth  has  its  own  peculiar 
process  of  finishing  which  is  best  suited  to  give  it  the  most  effective  ap- 


240  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


pearance.  There  is  one  general  point  that  must  be  noticed,  which  is  that 
in  the  making  of  cloth  the  quality  and  character  of  the  wool  has  to  be  con- 
sidered in  reference  to  the  kind  of  finish  wanted.  Of  course,  we  can  finish 
a  cloth  in  any  way  we  may  choose,  but  if  we  wish  to  obtain  perfect  goods 
this  point  must  be  kept  in  mind. 

For  example,  the  wool  suitable  for  a  Scotch  cheviot  cloth,  where  little 
fulling  is  required,  would  be  altogether  unsuitable  for  a  kersey  or  a  melton, 
requiring  a  large  amount  of  fulling.  The  rule  then  which  regulates  this  is 
that  cloths  requiring  a  large  amount  of  fulling  should  be  made  from  fine 
wools  possessing  good  felting  properties,  such  as  fine  Ohio  XX,  fine  Texas, 
Arizona  and  California  wools,  and  in  the  foreign  wools  fine  Saxony,  Port 
Philip  and  other  Australian  wools,  fine  Natal  or  Cape,  etc.  Let  us  now  take 
up  briefly  the  preparatory  processes  of  finishing,  giving  a  brief  outline,  so 
that  the  reader  who  is  not  initiated  into  the  mill  business  may  obtain  some 
idea  of  these  processes.  After  the  cloth  is  woven,  it  is  passed  over  a 
''perch"  in  a  strong  light,  and  is  carefully  examined  by  an  inspector,  who 
marks  all  imperfections  of  yarns  or  flaws  in  weaving.  A  piece  is  always 
examined  on  both  sides,  first,  on  the  face  of  the  goods,  and  second,  looking 
through  the  goods  toward  the  window,  when  all  weaving  imperfections  are 
more  easily  seen  and  marked. 

Burling. 

This  is  really  the  first  process  in  finishing.  The  cloth  is  placed  upon  a 
table,  the  top  part  of  which  can  be  raised  or  tilted  to  any  desired  angle,  and 
the  burlers  carefully  examine  it  for  knots,  slugs,  loose  ends,  etc.,  by  pass- 
ing their  hands  over  the  surface  of  the  cloth,  and  all  imperfections  are  re- 
moved by  the  use  of  burling  irons.  These  are  sharp-pointed  blades,  like 
tweezers,  and  by  them  the  burlers  draw  out  thick  threads,  knots  and  other 
imperfections  of  the  yarn.  It  is  very  important  at  this  stage  that  all  such  de- 
fects be  removed,  and  especially  so  in  broadcloths,  kerseys  and  beavers,  or 
other  face-finished  goods,  because  if  any  knots  or  bunches  are  left  in  the 
cloth  and  fulled  in  it  will  be  impossible  to  remove  them  afterward  without 
leaving  a  small  pin  hole. 

Some  persons  may  think  that  the  process  of  napping  would  cover  up 
any  knots,  but  the  fact  is  that  the  napping  and  steaming  make  them  show 
up  stronger,  and  at  this  stage  it  is  impossible  to  correct  imperfect  and  care- 
less burling.  Pieces  are  always  burled  twice,  the  back  of  the  piece  being 
done  first,  all  knots  being  drawn  through  on  the  back  and  cut  off,  and  thick 
and  uneven  threads  taken  out  or  reduced  in  thickness;  that  is,  by  the  use 
of  the  burling  iron  part  of  the  thick  thread  is  carefully  removed  and  part 
of  it  is  left  in  the  cloth.  This  may  appear  diflacult,  but  by  practice  an  ex- 
perienced burler  can  quickly  reduce  a  heavy  thread.  After  being  burled 
twice,  first  on  the  back  and  then  on  the  face,  the  piece  is  thrown  over  a 
perching  roll,  examined  with  the  cloth  toward  a  well-lighted  window,  and 
all  remaining  knots  and  imperfections  are  removed. 

Sewing  or  Mending. 

After  the  burling  the  pieces  are  "mended,"  that  is,  all  broken  threads 
are  sewed  in  and  any  imperfections  in  the  weave  corrected  so  far  as  pos- 
sible previous  to  fulling,  for  after  the  goods  are  fulled  it  is  hardly  possible 
to  sew  in  threads  or  repair  imperfections.  Such  goods  as  beavers,  kerseys, 
meltons  and  thibets  do  not  require  such  care  in  the  mending  department  as 
worsteds  and  other  bare-finished  goods,  as  the  felting  of  the  above-mention- 
ed materials  serves  to  cover  up  slight  imperfections  in  the  weave,  but  even 
in  these  goods  a  warp  thread  broken  out  for  some  inches  will  show  dam- 
age, and  broken  picks  should  also  be  sewed  in  and  all  floats  and  imperfec- 
tions of  weave  repaired.  If  a  pick  of  filling  or  a  warp  thread  is  left  out  and 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


241 


needs  to  be  sewed  in,  the  mender  will  first  find  out  the  method  in  which 
the  warp  and  filling  threads  interlace  with  each  other,  which  is  done  by 
picking  out  an  inch  or  two  of  the  yarn  and  noting  the  filling  threads  cross- 
ing with  the  warp  yarns. 

This  being  correctly  ascertained,  a  needle  is  threaded  with  the  same 
yarn  as  that  of  which  the  cloth  is  woven,  and  the  thread  is  sewed  into  the 
cloth,  occupying  the  place  of  the  broken  thread,  care  being  taken  that  it 
interlaces  with  the  warp  yarn  in  the  same  order  as  the  other  threads.  If 
a  thread  is  uneven  and  heavy,  it  is  necessary  to  draw  it  out  and  introduce 
a  thread  of  the  proper  size.  This  is  done  by  fastening  a  length  of  the  cor- 
rect size  of  yarn  to  the  uneven  or  heavy  thread,  and  as  it  is  drawn  out  of 
the  cloth  it  is  constantly  replaced  by  an  end  of  the  correct  yarn. 

Some  cloths  are  more 

Difficult  to  Repair 

than  others.  Worsted  cloth  made  of  fancy  and  complicated  weaves  and 
patterns  is  very  difficult  to  repair,  and  it  requires  the  most  expert  menders 
to  do  such  work.  These  cloths  are  generally  handled  twice  in  the  mending 
department.  The  first  process  is  called  "mending  in  the  grease,"  and  is,  as 
the  name  indicates,  done  previous  to  scouring.  After  being  scoured,  the 
goods  are  examined  by  an  experienced  and  skillful  mender,  who  marks  all 
imperfections  not  previously  noted  and  mended,  and  the  pieces  are  then  sent 
to  the  "clean  sewing"  perches  for  the  final  mending. 

The  change  which  the  fulling  effects  in  the  appearance  and  handle  of  wool- 
en cloths  is  surprisingly  great,  and  the  causes  which  contribute  to  these 
results  have  given  rise  to  many  discussions.  It  is  now  the  generally  ac- 
cepted theory  that  the  peculiar  felting  properties  of  woolen  cloths  are  due 
primarily  to  the  serratures  which  form  the  structure  of  the  fibre.  Wool  be- 
ing the  only  fibre  which  shows  this  peculiar  structure,  and  the  number  and 
sharpness  of  these  serrations  or  scales  vary  in  different  classes  of  wools, 
it  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  finest  felting  wools  contain  more  of  these  scales 
per  inch  than  wools  which  are  coarser  and  do  not  felt  so  readily.  Thus  fine 
Saxony  wool  may  contain  2,700  to  3,000  scales  per  inch,  while  an  inferior 
felting  wool  may  only  show  1,000  scales  or  even  less  per  inch. 

The  shrinking  or  felting  nature  of  woolen  goods  is  due  also  to  the  va- 
ried and  innumerable  ways  in  which  the  fibres  are  mixed,  crossed  and  in- 
terlaced with  each  other  in  the  yarns.  The  felting  property  of  wools  is  also 
hastened  by  the  application  of  soap  and  water,  as  by  its  action  the  outer 
ridges  or  scales  of  the  wool  fibre  are  freed  from  the  natural  oil  or  yolk,  their 
serrated  edges  opened  out,  causing  interlocking  of  the  fibres,  and  fulling  is 
made  possible.  The  heat,  which  is  generated  by  the  fulling  process  also 
plays  an  important  part.  It  is  the  combination  of  heat,  moisture  and  mild 
alkali  which  opens  the  serrated  scales  of  the  fibre  and  knits  them  together 
into  a  close  and  compact  mat  or  felt. 

Years  ago  the  fulling  was  done  entirely  by  the 

Fulling  Stocks, 

which  consisted  of  a  trough-shaped  bed,  capable  of  holding  several  pieces  of 
cloth,  and  suspended  over  this  bed  were  two  high  hammers  or  mallets, 
weighing  several  hundred  pounds  each,  and  operated  by  a  sort  of  trip  ham- 
mer mechanism,  which  raised  the  mallets  alternately,  allowing  them  to  drop 
by  their  own  weight  on  the  pieces  of  cloth  lying  in  the  bed  of  the  machine. 
The  force  of  the  blow,  combined  with  the  sloping  bottom  of  the  bed,  caused 
the  cloth  to  turn  over  more  or  less  at  each  blow  of  the  mallet.  Thus  the  po- 
sition was  changed  all  the  time  and  the  cloth  received  a  natural  fulling. 
The  chief  drawbacks  to  the  use  of  the  fulling  stocks  are  the  large  amount  of 
space  necessary,  the  slowness  of  the  fulling  and  the  difficulty  in  regulating 
them  so  as  to  full  a  piece  to  a  given  length  and  width. 


242 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  fulliag  mill  or  machine  has  now  almost  entirely  superseded  the 
old-time  stocks.  It  is  based  upon  an  entirely  new  principle,  and  is  capable 
of  fulling  a  much  larger  amount  of  cloth,  and  it  also  requires  less  space 
and  power.  A  large  machine  will  full  from  four  to  eight  pieces  of  cloth  at 
one  time.  The  cloth  is  run  into  the  mill,  passing  through  a  dividing  or 
guide  board  over  a  roller,  and  through  a  narrow  guide  or  throat,  which  de- 
livers it  between  flanged  rollers  heavily  weighted  by  springs.  These  flanged 
rollers  force  the  cloth  into  what  is  called  the  trap. 

This  trap  has  a  hinged  cover  which  can  be  weighted  according  to  the 
requirements  of  fulling.  The  fulling  is  effected  by  the  flanged  rollers  forcing 
the  cloth  into  the  trap,  the  object  of  the  latter  being  to  hold  the  cloth  back 
and  not  allow  of  its  being  delivered  freely.  The  fulling  is  accomplished  by 
the  continual  forcing  of  the  cloth  into  the  trap,  and  the  effect  is  the  same 
as  the  hammer  of  the  fulling  stock,  but  instead  of  repeated  blows  of  the 
stocks,  it  is  a  constant  and  positive  force,  driving  the  cloth  forward  into 
the  trap  until  it  is  forced  out  at  the  back  end,  and  as  the  ends  of  the  pieces 
are  sewed  together  the  operation  is  continuous.  The  piece  can  be  fulled  to 
any  required  width  and  length  by  regulating  the  weight  on  the  cover  of  the 
trap.  This  machine  is  suitable  for  almost  every  kind  of  cloth,  and  is  in- 
dispensable when  a  large  amount  of  fulling  is  required,  as  in  meltons,  ker- 
seys, etc. 

There  is  considerable  heat  generated  during  the  fulling  process,  and  it 
is  important  to  watch  the 

Rise  in  Temperature 

closely,  because  if  the  goods  get  very  hot  it  will  tender  the  stock,  and 
also  cause  the  goods  to  full  or  shrink  too  rapidly,  thus  preventing  the  pro- 
duction of  that  close  felted  face  so  necessary  in  face-finished  goods.  The 
temperature  should  not  be  allowed  to  exceed  80  or  85  degrees,  and  the  re- 
sults will  be  more  satisfactory  at  a  lower  temperature,  as  in  most  classes  of 
goods  requiring  a  heavy  felted  face  the  longer  time  taken  to  full  the  goods 
the  better  felt  will  be  obtained.  The  process  must  be  continuous,  that  is, 
the  shrinkage  must  be  kept  up  continuously,  slowly  and  surely,  being  knit 
together  in  one  compact  body,  both  warp  and  filling. 

Assuming  now  that  the  cloth  is  well  scoured  and  freed  from  all  soap, 
the  next  process  in  the  finishing  of  the  fabric  we  have  under  consideration 
is  the  napping.  The  object  in  napping  is  to  raise  the  fibres  on  the  face  of 
the  goods  to  such  an  extent  that  the  surface  of  the  fabric  will  show  one 
continuous  covering  of  a  soft,  fur-like  nap.  This  process  was  formerly  done 
by  hand  and  was  known  as  ''teaseling,"  the  teasels  being  set  in  a  frame- 
work, and  the  piece  of  cloth  stretched  over  bars  and  kept  tight  by  a  ratchet 
and  pawl.  That  process  was  slow  and  very  unsatisfactory,  as  compared 
v/ith  present-day  operations.  The  teasel  gig  was  the  first  improvement,  and 
it  consisted  of  a  large  cylinder  fitted  with  24  slats,  closely  set  with  teasels, 
the  product  of  a  plant  grown  in  various  parts  of  England,  Prance  and  in 
this  country  in  New  York  state. 

This  cylinder  makes  about  150  revolutions  per  minute  and  revolves  in 
a  contrary  direction  to  that  in  which  the  cloth  travels,  and  it  thus  gives  a 
great  power  for  raising  the  fibre  on  the  surface  of  the  cloth.  The  amount 
of  contact  the  cloth  has  with  the  teasels  can  easily  be  regulated  by  means 
of  movable  rollers,  which  are  regulated  by  pinion  and  rack  gear.  These 
are  single  acting,  also  double  acting  gigs,  the  latter  giving  four  points  of 
contact  with  the  cloth  as  it  passes  around  the  cylinder.  The  wire  gig  or 
nap  per  is  the  latest  machine  for  raising  the  nap  on  cloth. 

It  IS  constructed  with  a  number  of  rollers  covered  with  a  bronze  wire 
clothing  very  sharp,  and  so  arranged  with  speed  gears  that  as  the  cloth 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


243 


passes  around  the  cylinder,  these  rollers  can  be  so  operated  that  the  felted 
surface  is  quickly  napped  and  opened  out  if  so  desired,  and  by  the  mere 
change  of  a  speed  gear  the  wire-covered  rollers  can  be  made  to  take  vigor- 
ous hold  and  nap  a  piece  in  less  than  half  the  time  it  would  take  in  a  teasel 
gig.  The  usual  process  is  to  do  the  first  napping  on  the  wire  napper,  and 
finish  off  on  the  teasels. 


All  Face  Finished  Goods, 

such  as  kerseys,  broadcloths,  beavers,  doeskins,  etc.,  are  napped  wet,  but 
all  other  goods  which  are  finished  clear  are  napped  dry,  which  causes  the 
fibres  to  stand  erect,  ready  for  the  process  of  shearing,  while  in  the  wet 
napping  the  fibres  are  laid  flat  on  the  surface  of  the  cloth  to  form  a  con- 
tinuous nap  or  pile,  which  completely  hides  the  weave  of  the  cloth.  This 
nap  is  then  cropped  by  the  shear,  in  order  to  level  the  nap,  cutting  off  all 
long  fibres  and  giving  the  fabric  a  close,  velvet-like  nap. 

The  object  of  steaming  is  to  impart  a  permanent  luster  to  the  cloth. 
This  was  formerly  done  by  boiling  the  cloth  for  several  hours  in  a  tank  of 
water,  the  cloth  having  been  first  tightly  wound  on  a  wooden  roll,  generally 
made  of  birch  wood,  as  it  was  free  from  gum  and  resin.  After  the  boiling 
it  was  plunged  into  a  tank  of  cold  water  and  laid  there  for  several  hours. 
Then  it  was  rewound  onto  another  roll,  thus  reversing  the  ends,  and  again 
boiled  for  several  hours,  when  the  cooling  off  was  repeated  again  in  cold 
water.  The  whole  process  usually  took  several  days  to  complete.  The 
modern  method  of  steaming  was  explained  in  the  article  on  "Broadcloths 
and  Kerseys,"  and  the  process  can  be  completed  in  about  an  hour,  which 
shows  a  vast  improvement  in  processes  of  manufacturing  during  the  past 
fifty  years.  After  the  steaming  comes  the  wet  brushing,  drying,  shearing 
and  pressing,  as  described  in  previous  articles  on  similar  goods. 


A  TOUT. 

4.800  ends;  4  run  warp,  rig-ht  twist. 
15  reed,  4  in  dent       80"  inside  listing  4-  2" 
for  listing-   =    82"  over  all. 

PILLING. 

Face  run,  left  twist,  spun  soft. 

Back       2      run,  left  twist,  spun  soft. 
2  picks  face  yarn;  1  pick  backing-. 
60  picks  per  inch. 

CALCULATIONS. 

4,800  ends,  4  run,  warp  yarn  ==  12.00  oz. 

82"   X   60  picks  =  4,920  picks. 

3,280  face  picks  -:-  41/2  run  =    7.30  oz. 

1,640  back  picks        2  run  =    8.20  oz. 

4,920  27.50  oz. 

Take-up   =    2.75  oz. 

Loom   weight    30.25  oz. 

7%  shrinkage  in  length  in  finishing  =  26  oz. 
finished  weight. 

12.00  oz.  warp  yarn. 
7.30  oz.  face  filling. 

19.30  oz.  +  10%  take-up  in  weaving 

-f-  10%  waste  allowance   =  23.58  oz 

8.20  oz.  back  filling  -f  10%  take-up 

-4-  15%  waste  allowance   =  10.60  oz. 


COST. 
Stock  for  face  yarns: 
Fine  California  carbonized,  per  lb.=  $  .4200 

Stock  for  backing  yarns: 
25%    fine    California    carbonized  (a) 

42c.    per   lb  =  $  .1050 

25%    fine    mill    waste,    light  shoddy 

(S)    24c.  per  lb  =  .0600 

50%    fine    light  shoddy    @    22c.  per 

lb  =  .1100 

Cost  per  lb   $  .2750 

23.58  oz.  stock  for  face  yarns  @  42c. 

per  lb  =  $  .6190 

10.60  oz.  stock  for  backing  yarns  (g> 

271/2C.  per  lb  ==  .1835 

Pl'us  7%  shrinkage  in  length  =  .0561 

$  .8586 

Manufacturing,     60    picks   @  $.0070 

+    7%   =  .4494 

Mill  cost    $1.3080 

WEAVING  CHAIN. 

□□□■■nnDBiinn  12 

11 

10 

■□□□□□■■□□□a  9 

8 

■□■■■■■□■■■a  7 

□□■■□□□□□■■a  6 

5 
4 

■■□□□■■□□□CD  3 

2 

■□■■■■■□■■■a  1 

BFFBFFBFFBFF 

FRONT. 


244  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

CASSIMERES 

Light  Weight.    12-ounce  Finished. 

Cassimeres  are  a  staple  woolen  fabric,  made  in  various  grades  for  men's 
suitings  and  in  weights  for  winter  and  summer  wear.  They  are  produced 
in  an  endless  variety  of  designs  in  color  and  woven  effects.  Cloth  is  close- 
ly sheared  and  woven.  Full  to  52  inches  wide  and  finish  the  cloth  to  54 
inches  between  twisting.  Press  very  hard  to  give  the  cloth  a  smooth  and 
fine  look.    Spin  the  yarn  to  a  nice  round  thread. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


-1. 

X 

X 

>< 

X 

> 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

X 

A. 

A 

X 

>< 

X 

X 

r 

X 

>< 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

>c 

X 

X 

X 

<^ 

X 

X 

X 

X 

/ 

/ 

^ 

J 

/ 

Full  Draft. 


Medium-Weight   Cassimere,  14^-ourice. 


WARP  FILLING. 


1  medium  color. 
1  light  color. 


Also  made  in  silk  stripes  and  fancy  color  over- 
laid. 

8  HARNESS.   STRAIGHT  DRAW. 
Layout: 
2.880  ends.  44  picks. 

Reed,  IQi^— 4— 68,  57"   between  listing. 
Warp: 

2.880  thr.,  5  run   5.86  oz. 

Filling: 

44  picks,  5  run   6.12  oz. 


Allow  2  inches  after  list  11.98  oz. 

Loom  shrinkage,  10%  1.20  " 


X/)om  weight   13.18  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

Fine  grade  of  wool,  56c.  lb. 

16:  56  =  3l^c.  an  ounce. 

13.20  -!-  15%  shrinkage  =  15.16  ounce. 

15,  16  ounce  @  SVzC   =     $  ,5306 

Manufacturing : 

44  picks  @  0.86  mills   =  .3784 


Mill  cost   $  . 


246 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


FINE  PLAID  BACK  LADIES'  CLOAKING 

Worsted  Face,  Wool  Backing. 

This  is  a  very  fine  fabric  equal  to  the  best  imported  cloths  made  from 
2-36s  slub-dyed  mixture  worsted,  half-blood  quality  on  face  warp  and.2-36s 
white  and  skein-dyed  yarn  for  back  warp.  The  filling  yarns  are  made  from 
fine  carbonized  wools.  The  fabric  is  made  in  a  variety  of  worsted  mix- 
tures and  skein-dyed  yarns  for  the  face  and  a  number  of  fancy  plaids  for 
the  back.  No  fulling  is  required,  but  the  cloth  should  be  given  a  thorough 
scouring,  running  the  goods  in  the  soap  somewhat  longer  than  usual.  Ex- 
tract, gig  carefully  on  back,  laying  the  nap.  Dry  at  57  inches.  Steam  and 
brush  both  face  ai.d  back,  shear,  and  press  medium  press'ire..  Finish  at 
55  inches  inside  listing.    Filling  yarns — one-half  mule  draft. 


Fine  Plaid   Back  Ladies'  Cloaking. 


Layout: 

2,940  ends  2/36  face  warp,  slub  dyed  mix- 
ture,       blood  quality. 

2,940  ends  2/36  back  warp,  white  and 
skein  dyed,        blood  quality. 

5,880  ends. 
120  ends  white  listing  2/36  worsted. 


6.000 

11/8  reed,   66  4-5"  inside  listing,   plus  li/^" 
for  listing  =  68  3-10"  over  all. 
100  picks. 

4       run  filling,  right  twist. 
Spun  soft. 

WARP  PATTERN, 
n — white  worsted  2/36  back. 

5  times  ^  1 — grey  mixture  wstd.    2/36  face. 

.        yi — black  worsted  2/36  back. 

40  times      — g^gy   mixture  wstd.    2/36  face. 


S  1 — blue  slate  worsted 
'  \  1 — grey  mixture  wstd. 
^  1 — white  worsted 
i  1 — grey  mixture  wstd. 


6  times 


. — black  worsted 


2/36  back. 

2/36  face. 

2/36  back. 

2/36  face. 

2/36  back. 


40  times 
20  times 
40  times 


1 — white  worsted 

1 — grey   mixture  wstd. 

1 — blue  slate  worsted 

1 — grey   mixture  wstd. 

1 — black  worsted 

1 — grey  mixture  wstd. 


2/36  back 

2/36  face. 

2/36  back. 

2/36  face. 

2/36  back. 

2/36  face. 


420  threads  in  pattern. 

FILLING  PATTERN. 

f  1 

5  times 

20  times 
40  times 

40  times 
20  times 


1 

— white 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

1 

— black 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

0 

— black 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

1 

— blue  slate 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

1 

— black 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

1 

— white 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

1- 

— black 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

0 

— black 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

1- 

— white 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

1- 

— black 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

1 

— blue  slate 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

1- 

— black 

41/2 

run, 

right 

twist. 

0 

—black 

41/2 

run. 

right 

twist. 

-grey  mixture  wstd.   2/36   face.       420  picks  to  pattern 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


247 


Face  mixture  is: 

40%  white  fine  worsted  tops. 
60%  black  slub  dyed  tops. 

Weaving-  chain: 

Straight  draw  on  20  harness. 

■  ■■■■□■■■■■■■■■□■■■■□20 

■  ■■□□□□□□□■□■□□□□□□□□19 
■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■■□□18 
□□■□■□□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□17 
■■■□■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■□16 
□□□□■■■□□□□□□□■□■□□□□15 
■■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■■□^■□14 
□  ^□□□□■□■□□□□□□□■■■□□13 

■  □■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■□13 

■  □□□□□□□■■■□□l  □□□□■□□11 

■  ■■■■□■■■■■■■■■□■■■■□10 
■■■□□□□□□□■□■□_ □□u^ J  9 
■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■■C^  8 
□□■□■□□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□ 7 
■■■□■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■□ 6 
□□□□■■■□□□□□□□■□■□□□□ a 
■■■■■■■□■P^^^^^^^^^^^  4 
L  □._.'□□□■□■□□□□□□□■■■□□  3 
■□■■■■■■■■■□■■■■■■■■□ 2 

■  □□□□□□□■■■□□□□□□□■□□  1 

FRONT. 

COST  CALCULATION. 
2,940     ends     2/36s  worsted 

mixture   4.66  oz. 

Plus    10%    take-up  46  oz. 

2.940      ends      2/36s  skein 

dyed   4.66  oz. 

Plus    10%    take-up  46  oz. 


5.12  oz. 


5.12  oz. 


120  ends  2/36  listing  19  oz. 

Plus    10%    take-up  02  oz. 

  .21  oz. 

Filling: 

681/3"  X  100  picks  =  6.830. 

6,830        41/2  runs  15.18  oz. 

Plus    10%    take-up   1.51  oz. 

  16.69  oz. 

Loom   weight  27.14  oz. 

Finished  weight,  21 to  22  oz. 

5.12  oz.  2/36  worsted  mixture  + 
2%  waste  allowance  =  5.22  oz. 
@   $1.15  per  lb  =  $  .3752 

5.12  oz.  2/36  worsted  skein  dyed 
+  6%  waste  allowance  =  5.45 
oz.    @   $1.00  per  lb  =  .3406 

.21  oz.  2/36  worsted  listing  +  2% 
waste  allowance  =  .23  oz.  @ 
$1.00  per  lb  =  .0014 

Filling: 

16.69  oz.  41/2  run  filling  -{-  10% 
waste  allowance  =  18.54  oz.  @ 
60c  =  .6952 

Cost  of  material  $1.4124 

Manufacturing   charges  7000 

Mill  cost   $2.1124 


UNIFORM  FABRICS-CADET  GREYS 

These  fabrics  are  made  usually  in  14-ounce,  15-ounce,  16-ounce,  18-. 
ounce,  21-ounce  and  24-ounce  cloths.  The  construction  and  cost  calculations 
of  the  first  four  of  these  weights  are  given  below.  The  cloth  is  used  for  uni- 
forms for  post  offices,  military  and  high  schools,  etc.  It  must  be  made  from 
a  strong  good  feeling  wool,  as  it  is  required  to  pass  a  high  test  for  strength 
and  wearing  qualities,  hence  care  must  be  taken  in  selecting  the  stock  and 
blending  it  to  insure  a  thorough  mixing  and  freedom  from  specks  when 
carded. 

The  blue  wool  in  the  mixture  must  be  indigo-dyed.  Goods  to  be  fulled 
with  a  good  heavy-bodied  soap  to  insure  felting.  Full  to  56  inches  inside 
listing.  Scour,  dry  to  57  inches,  shear  face,  steam  and  brush  well  and  press 
heavy.  Fulled  in  length  to  hold  14  per  cent  shrinkage  when  finished.  All 
yarns  are  spun  fully  half  draft,  say,  five-eighths  draft. 

14  Oz.  CADET  GREY  UNIFORM  CLOTH 

Layout:  STRAIGHT  DRAV7. 
2,88  0    ends    IIV2/3    in    dent,    83l^"  insiae 

listing,  plus  1"  for  listing  =  841/2"  over  ^ 
all  &  /-  ■□  5 

White  yarn,  4  run.  H  - 

40  picks.  ■□  ^ 

6  harness.     Listing,  extra  harnesses.  □■    O  o 

□■  P^. 
■□  ^ 


n 
□■ 
□■ 

List 


248 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Warp: 

2,880  ends  4%  run,  left  twist   6.59  oz. 

Plus  8%   loom  take-up  53  oz. 

Filling: 

40  picks  X  841/2"  =  3,380. 

3,380  41/2  run  filling,  right  twist..  7.51  oz. 

Plus  8%  loom  take-up  60  oz. 


Loom  weight   15.23  oz. 

Finished  weight  14  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 
Warp  and  filling  yarns  spun  from  same 

stock  mixture. 
50%  fine  A.  A.  pulled  white  @ 

63c   =  $  .3100 

50%  fine  Texas  1:^.  mo.  (indigo 

dyed,    med.    blue    shade)  @ 

63c   =  .3150 


16)  $  .6250 


An  ounce   $  .0390 


Material: 

15.23   oz.         10%    loom   waste  allowance 
16.92  oz. 

Plus  14%  shrinkage  in  length  at  fulling 
=  19.67  oz.,  stock  required  per  finished 
yard. 

19.67  oz.  @  $.0390  per  oz   =  $  .7680 


Manufacturing: 

40  picks   @   $.0900   =  $  .3600. 

Plus  14%    =  $  .<fl86 


Mill  cost   $1.1866 

It  is  possible  to  cut  down  this  labor  cost 
by  having  spinners  run  2  mules  and  weav- 
ers run  2  looms  each. 


15  Oz.   CADET  GREY 

Layout: 

3,000  ends,  12/3  reed;  831/3"  inside  listing, 

plus  1"  for  listing  =  841/3"  over  all. 
White  4  run  yarn. 
42  picks. 

Same  yarns  and  weave  as  14-oz.  cloth. 


Warp: 


3,000   ends   4%    run   warp,  left 

twist    6.86  oz. 

Plus  8%  loom  take-up  55  oz. 

Filling: 

42  picks   X   841/3"  =  3,542. 
3,542  41/2    run    filling,  right 

twist    7.86  oz. 

Plus  8%  loom  take-up  63  oz. 


Loom  weight   15.90  oz. 


Finished  weight,  15  oz. 


UNIFORM  CLOTH. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Stock: 

Same  blend  as  the  14-oz.  cloth   @  $.0390 
per  oz. 

Material : 

15.90  oz.   +   10%    loom    waste  allowance 

=  17.66  oz. 
Plus  16%   shrinkage  in  length  at  fulling 

=    21    oz.    stock   required    per  finished 

yard. 

21  oz.  stock  @  $.0390  per  oz. .  .  =  $  .8190 

Manufacturing: 

42  picks  @   $.0890  =  $.3696. 

Plus  16%  shiinkage    =  .4400 


Mill  cost   $1.2590 

This  labor  cost  can  be  cut  down  by  spinners 
running  2  mules  and  weavers  running  2 
looms  each. 


Layout: 

3,000  ends  12/3  re(d,  831/3"  inside  listing, 
-f  1"  for  listing  =  84%"  over  all. 
White  yarn  31/2  run. 
44  picks. 

Same  weave  as  14-oz.  fabric. 


Warp: 

3,000  ends  4  run.  left  .   ^ist   7.50  oz. 

Plus  8%   loom  take-u   60  oz. 

44  picks  X   841/3"  =  3,  ,10. 

3,710  -V-  41/2  run  filling,  right  twist  8.24  oz. 

Plus  8%  loom  take-up  66  oz. 


16  Oz.  CADET  GREY  UNIFORM  CLOTH. 

COST  CALCULATION. 


Loom  weight   17.00  oz. 

Finished  weight,  16  oz. 


Stock: 

Same     blend     as     the     14-oz.     cloth  = 

$.0390  per  oz. 
17    oz.     -f-    10%    loom    waste  allowance 

=  19  oz. 

19  oz.  -f  16%  shrinkage  in  length  in  full- 
ing =  22.62  oz.  stock  required  per  fin- 
ished yard. 

22.62  oz.  stock  @  $.0390   =  $  .8821 


Manufacturing: 

44  picks  @  $.0860  $.3784. 
Plus  16%  shrinkage   


=  .4500 


Mill  cost   $1.3321 

This  labor  cost  can  be  cut  down  by  spinners 
running  2  mules  and  weavers  running  2 
looms  each. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


249 


18  Oz.  CADET  GREY  UNIFORM  CLOTH. 

Layout:  Filling: 
3,000  ends  warp,   12/3  reed,   83%"  inside 
listing,  plus  1"  for  listing  =  841/3"  over 


all. 

White  31/^  run  yarn. 
40  picks. 

Weave: 
8  harness. 

2  harness  extra  for  listing. 

STRAIGHT  DRAW. 

I  □■  r. 


□  ■■■□■■I 


40  picks  X  831/3"  =  3,374. 

3,374  -4-  31/4  run  right  twist  10.38  oz. 

Plus  8%  take-up  80  oz. 


Warp: 

3,000  ends,  4  run  warp,  left  twist.  7.50  dz. 
Plus  10%   loom  take-up  75  oz. 


Loom  weight   19.43  oz. 

Finished  weight,  18  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Stock: 

Same  blend  as  the  14-oz.  cloth  =  $.0390 
per  oz. 

19.43    oz.    loom   weight,    plus    10%  waste 

allowance  =  21.59  oz. 
21.59  oz.    -f-   16%   shrinkage  in  length  at 

fulling  =  25.70  oz. 

Manufacturing: 

25.70  oz.   @  $.0390  per  oz   =  $1.0000 

40  picks  @  $.0900  =  $.3600. 

Plus  16%  shrinkage    =  .4285 


Mill  cost   $1.4285 


Both  the  21-ounce  and  24-ounce  fabrics  analyzed  below  are  usually 
given  a  light  run  on  the  gig,  using  old  or  dull  teasels,  just  enough  gigging 
to  straighten  out  the  fibres  of  wool  on  face.  Dry,  shear  close,  steam  brush 
and  press  hard. 

21  Oz.  CADET  GREY  UNIFORM  CLOTH. 


Layout; 

4,400  ends,  131/2/4  reed,  811/2" 
ing,  plus  11/^"  for  listing  =  1 
White  31^  run  yarn. 
50  picks. 

Weave: 

12  harnesses. 

2   harnesses  extra  for  listing. 

STRAIGHT  DRAW. 


inside  list- 
s'' over  all. 


Filling: 

50  picks   X    83"   =  4,150. 

4,150        iV2  run,  right  twist   9.22  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  take-up  92  oz. 


Loom  weight  22.24  oz. 

Finished  weight   21.00  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 


■□□□■■■□□□■a 
■■■□□□■■■□□a 


□■ 
□■ 
■□ 
■□ 
□■ 
□■ 
■□ 
■□ 
□■ 
□■ 
■□ 

List 


Stock: 


Warp: 

4,400  ends,  4  run,  left  twist  11.00  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  take-up   1.10  oz. 


Same  blend  as  the  14-oz.  fabric 
per  oz. 

22.24   oz.,    loom   weight,  plus 

allowance  =  24.66  oz. 
24.66    oz.    -}-    16%  shrinkage 

=  29.35  oz. 


Manufacturing: 

29.35  oz.   @  $.0390  

50  picks  @  $.0800  -f  16%. 


IOC 


•  $.0390 
waste 
fulling 


$1.1446 
.4760 


Mill  cost   $1.6206 


24  Oz.  CADET  GREY  UNIFORM  CLOTH. 


Layout: 

4,800  ends  141/2/4  reed,  82%"  inside  list- 
ing, plus  IV2"  for  listing  ==  84i/4"  over 
all. 

SVz  run  white  yarn. 
56  picks. 

Weave: 

12  harnesses  as  in  21-oz.  cloth; 

Or  16  harnesses  straight  draw,  as  below. 


■□■□□□■■■^■□□□■B 

■□■□□□■■■□■□□□■a 
■■■□■□□□■■■□■nan 
■□□□■■■□■□□□■■■□ 
□□■■■□■□□□■■■□■□ 
■□■□□□■■■□■□□□■■ 
■■■□■□□□■■■nHann 
■□□□■■■□■□□□■■■□ 


Warp: 

4,800  ends  4  run  warp,  left  twist .  .  12. 00  oz. 
Plus  10%  loom  take-up    1.20  oz- 


250 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Filling: 

56  picks  X  84^"  =  4.718. 

4,718  -V-  4l^  run  right  twist  fillingll.80  oz. 

Plus  8%  take-up    =    .95  oz. 


Loom  weight    25.95  oz. 

Finished  weight,  24  oz. 

I 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Stock: 

Same  blend  as  14-oz.  fabric  @   $.0390  per 
oz. 


25.95  oz.  loom  weight,  -f  10%  waste  al- 
lowance =  28.3  oz. 

28.3  oz.  +  16%  shrinkage  in  fulling  = 
33%  oz.  stock  required  per  finished  yard. 


Manufacturing : 

331/^  oz.  @  $.0390  per  oz   =  $1.2998 

56  picks  @   $.0740  =  $.4144. 

Plus  16%  shrinkage    =  .4933 


Mill  cost   $1.7931 


REGATTA  STRIPE  LADIES'  SUITING 

This  clotli  is  woven  on  a  double  plain  weave,  the  warp  threads  being 
a  thread  face  and  a  thread  back,  while  the  filling  threads  show  both  on 
face  and  back,  the  white  pick  weaving  on  the  face  as  it  interlaces  with 
the  white  warp  threads,  then  goes  on  to  the  back  where  it  interlaces  with  the 
grey  threads.  The  grey  filling  thread  works  the  opposite  of  the  white  thread. 
The  stock  used  is  a  fine  wool  and  carbonized  white  noil,  free  from  nubs, 
and  carded  worsted  yarn  waste.  Cards  must  be  in  good  condition  and 
great  care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  the  grey  stock  is  carded  free  from 
specks.  Very  little  fulling  is  required.  Extract,  dry  at  57  inches  and 
press  light. 


10!/2-Ounce  Regatta 

Layout: 

1,760  endB 
121/2/2  reed. 

70"  inside  listing  plus  1"  for  listing  =  71" 

over  all. 
Draw  straight  on  8  harness. 
Listing  on  extra  harness  or  side  straps. 
30  picks. 

V^EAVE. 

8  Grey 

6 
ft 

■■  4  v^Thite. 

3 
1 

6 

FRONT. 


Stripe  Ladies'  Suitijig. 

W^arp: 

run   yarn,    right  twist. 

Filling: 

3%  run  yarn,  right  twist. 

V^ARP  PATTERN. 
4 — White,  31/2  run. 
4 — Light  grey,  SV2  run. 
4 — V^hite,  31/2  run. 
2 — Light  grey,  3  i/^  run. 
2 — Blue  fancy,   5  run. 
4 — White,  31/2  run. 
4 — Light  grey,  SV2  run. 
4 — White,  31/2  run. 
2 — Light  grey,    3  l^  run. 
2 — Black  and  white  2/40s  cotton. 

32  threads  =  11  patts. ;  5  sections. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  OLOSSARY 


251 


FILLING  PATTERN, 
i— Light   grey,    3%  run. 
i. —White,  3%  run. 


COST  CALCULATIONS. 

Warp : 

880  ends  white  warp,   31/2   run  = 

2.51  oz.  +  10%  loom  take-up  =  2.76  oz. 

660  ends  light  grey  warp,  31/2  run 
=  1.88  oz.  +  10%  loom  take- 
up   =    2.06  oz. 

110    ends    blue    fancy,    5    run  = 

0.22  oz.  4-  10%  loom  take-up  =    0.24  oz. 

110  ends  black  and  white  2/40s 
cotton  =  0.11  oz.  +  10%  loom 
take-up    0.12  oz. 

Filling. 

71"  X   30  picks  =  2,130. 

1,065  picks  white  3%  run  =  2.84 

oz.   -f  10%  loom  take-up.... =    3.12  oz. 
1,065  picks  light  grey  3%  run  = 

2.84  oz.  -f  10%  loom  take-up  =    3.12  oz. 


Loom  weight   11.42  oz. 

Finished  weight,  10.50  oz. 

Stock  for  white  yarns: 

70%  white  noil  @  42c  =  $  .2940 

30%  white  fine  wool  @  55c  =  .1650 


Cost  per  pound    $  .4590 


Stock  for  light  grey  yarns: 

40%  white  wool  @   55c  =  $  .2200 

30%  white  noil  @  42c  =  .1260 

30%   fine  black  carded  worsted 

waste   @   30c  =  .0900 


Cost  per  pound    $  .4360 

2.76  oz.  white  warp. 
3.12  oz.  white  filling. 


5.88  oz.  +    6%    waste   allowance  = 

6.26  oz.   @   $.4590  per  lb.   =    $  .1795 
2.06  oz.  light  grey  warp. 
3.12  oz.  light  grey  filling. 


5.18  oz.  -|-    6%    waste   allowance  = 

5.52  oz.   @   $.4360  per  lb.  =  .1504 

0.24  oz.  blue  fancy  -}-  6%  waste  al- 
lowance =  0.25  oz.  @  $.6000 

per  lb  .0094 

2/40s  twist  cotton,  black  and 
white  =  0.12  oz.  @  $.4000 
per  lb  =  .0030 


$  .3423 

Manufacturing  cost: 

30  picks  at  Ic  3000 


Mill  cost   $  .6423  . 


PLAID  BACK  HOMESPUN  CLOAKING 

This  fabric  is  woven  with  plain  weave    face    and  four-harness  twill 
back  with  1  thread  heavy  homespun  nub  yarn  on  face  and  2  threads  fine  yam 
on  back.    The  face  yarns  are  made  from  coarse  imported  wools,  while  the 


22-Ounce  Plaid  Back  Homespun  Cloaking. 

backing  yarns  are  made  from  fine  medium  domestic  wool,  with  a  mixture 
of  fine  light  shoddy  for  dyeing.  Face  yarn  is  spun  heavy  and  rough  card- 
ed, with  a  good  percentage  of  large  nubs.  In  spinning  this  homespun  yarn 
a  good  long  draft  is  required,  say  three-fourths  draft,  and  medium  twist, 


252  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  OLOSSARY 


with  just  enough  to  ensure  good  weaving.  The  filling  is  spun  soft.  Backing 
yarn  should  be  a  good  level  thread  free  from  twists  and  bunches,  draft  to 
be  five-eighths  of  mule.  Full  very  slightly,  but  give  a  good  scouring,  run- 
ning the  goods  a  little  extra  in  the  soap.  Rinse  well,  extract  and  dry  at 
58  inches.  Shear  back  and  give  medium  pressure.  Finish  at  54  to  55 
inches  inside. 


Layout: 

1,280  ends  3  run  back  warp. 
640  ends  1  run  face  warp. 
320  ends  2/40s  cotton  binder. 


2,240  ends. 

Ill 

Reed   7  =  68%"  inside  listing. 

5     4  5 

11/4"  listing. 
70"  over  all. 

Weave: 

Draw   straight  on   14  harness. 


56 


Light 
V^hite 
Light 
Drab 
Light 
White 
Light 
White 
Light 
Drab 
Light 
White 
Light 
threads 


tan,  3  run. 
nub  yarn,  1  i 
tan,  3  run. 
cotton,  2/40. 
tan,   3  run. 
nub  yarn,  1 
tan,    3  run. 
nub  yarn,  1 
tan,   3  run. 
cotton,  2/40. 
tan,  3  run. 
nub  yarn,  1  : 
tan,  3  run. 
in  pattern. 


One  dent. 


■  ■->□■■■■□□■■  8 


on  binder,    m  1  i' 


2/40s  cott' 


2/40s  cotton  binder. 


•  11. 

48 


FILLING  PATTERN. 
Olive  green,   3  run. 
Medium  hrown  nub  yarn,  1  r 
Olive  green,  3  run. 
Light  tan,   3  run. 
Med.  brown  nub  yarn,  1  run. 
Light  tan,    3  run. 
threads  in  pattern. 


36  picks  per  inch. 


FRONT. 

This  chain  is  made  to  weave  face  down. 


Stock  for  face  warp: 

15%  large  white  nub  @  50c   $  .0750 

20%  white  med.  wool  @   44c  0880 

65%  white  Kandahar  @  32c  2080 


Cost    per    pound   $  .3710 

Stock  for  backing: 

50%  fine  med.  wool  @  56c   $  .2800 

50%  fine  shoddy  @  24c  1200 

Light  shades  for  coloring. 


Cost  per  pound    $  .4000 

Stock  for  face  filling: 

15%  nubs   @   50c   $  .0750 

20%  med.  wool  @  44c  0880 

20%  E.  India  wool   @   25c  0500 

45%  coarse  shoddy  @  15c  0675 


Cost  per  pound    $  .2805 


2/40s  dyed  cotton  yarn  @  48c.  per  pound. 


WARP  PATTERN. 

1.  Olive  green,  3  run. 

1.  White  nub  yarn,   1  run. 

1.  Olive  green,   3  run. 

1.  Drab  cotton  yarn,  2/40. 

1.  Olive  green,   3  run. 

g    1.  White  nub  yarn,  1  run. 

i  2.  Olive  green,   3  run. 

^    1.  White  nub  yarn,  1  run. 

^     1.  Olive  green,   3  run, 

1.  Drab  cotton,  2/40. 

1.  Olive  green,  3  run. 

1.  White  nub  yarn,  1  run. 

1.  Olive  green,  3  run. 


COST  CALCULATIONS. 

Warp: 

1,280  ends,  3  run  =  4.27  oz.,  plus 

10%   take-up   =  4.70  oz. 

640  ends,   1  run         6,40  oz.,  plus 

10%  take-up   =  7.04  oz. 

320   ends    2/40s    =    0.-32   oz.,  plus 

10%  take-up   =  0.35  oz. 


Filling: 

70"    X    36   picks   =  2,520. 

1,680  threads,    3   run   =   5.60  oz., 

plus  10%  take-up   =  6.16  oz. 

840   threads,     1    run   =    8.40  oz., 

plus  10%  take-up   =  9.24  oz. 


Loom  weight   27.49  oz. 

Finished  weight,  22  oz. 


7.04  oz.  face  warp  plus  15%  waste 
allowance  =  8.28  oz.  @ 
$.3710   per   lb  =  $  .1920 

9.24  oz.  face  filling  plus  20%  waste 
allowance  =  11.55  oz.  @ 
$.2800   per   lb  =  .2021 


4.70  oz.  back  warp. 
6.16  oz.  back  filling. 


10.86  oz.  plus   15%    waste  allowance 
=    12.77    oz.    @    $.4000  per 


lb  =  .3192 

.035  oz.  2/40s    drab    cotton  binder 

@  $.3500  @  $.4800  per  lb..=  .0105 

Cost  of  stock    $  .7238 

Manufacturing: 

36  picks  @   $.0094  3384 

Mill  cost    $1.0622 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


253 


MACKINAW  FABRICS 

For  many  years  this  fabric  was  practically  monopolized  by  the  lumber 
men  and  hunters  in  the  Michigan  woods,  and  recently  became  much  in 
vogue  with  college  men  and  others  who  are  fond  of  out-door  life,  for  which 
it  is  especially  adapted.  It  is  also  used  for  winter  sports  when  put 
through  a  waterproofing  process.  It  is  made  in  various  weights  from  22  to 
32  ounces  and  upward,  and  in  a  great  variety  of  fancy  plaids  in  grey  tones, 
also  in  fancy  colors  in  strong  contrasting  shades  and  striking  patterns. 
The  fabric  here  illustrated  is  a  22-ounce  cloth,  and  woven  so  as  to  feel 
thick  and  heavy,  giving  warmth  without  excessive  weight.  A  low  grade  of 
mackinaws  is  also  made  with  a  cotton  warp  and  all-shoddy  or  card  waste 
fillings. 

In  spinning  yarns  for  these  fabrics  it  is  necessary  to  have  at  least 
l-draft.  Warp  yarns  are  spun  with  just  twist  enough  to  ensure  good  weav- 
ing, and  filling  yarns  are  given  a  medium  twist.  Full  to  56  inches  inside 
listing,  so  as  to  hold  loom  length  when  finished.  Scour,  extract,  nap  both 
back  and  face,  dry  at  57  inches,  brush  a,nd  press  with  medium  pressure. 

Waterproofing  Process. 

If  it  is  desired  to  waterproof  this  cloth,  make  up  a  soap  solution  in 
the  proportion  of  2i  ounces  of  good  tallow  soap  in  5  gallons  of  water.  A 
second  solution  of  3  ounces  of  alum  in  5  gallons  of  water  is  also  made  up. 
Run  the  goods  in  the  washer  (after  being  scoured  and  rinsed  off,  and  pre- 
vious to  the  napping)  in  the  soap  solution  until  thoroughly  saturated. 
Drain  off  the  excess  liquor,  add  the  alum  solution,  and  run  goods  as  before  un- 
til saturated,  then  drain  off  again,  but  do  not  rinse.  Extract  the  same  as 
regular  goods.  The  alum  solution  precipitates  the  soap  in  the  goods  into 
an  insoluble  aluminate  soap,  and  makes  an  excellent  water  repellent. 


22-Ounce  Mackinaw. 


Layout: 

2,000  ends. 
Reed  71/2/4. 
66  2-3"  inside  listing. 
11-3"  for  listing. 

68"  over  all. 

Draw  straight  on  6  harness. 
Warp  yarn: 

iy2  run,  right  twist. 


Filling  yarn: 
1^2  run,  right 
30  picks. 


5 

□■■■nn  4 

J  3 
2 
1 

FRONT. 


254  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


WARP  PATTERN. 

12 — Black. 

18 — Light  grey  mixture. 
2 — Black. 

6 — LAght  grey  mixture. 
8 — Black. 

8 — Light  grey  mixture. 
8 — Black. 

6 — Light  grey  mixture. 

2 — Black. 
18 — Light  grey  mixture. 
12 — Black. 

100  ends;  4  patterns;  5  sections. 

FILLING  PATTERN. 

22— Black. 

20 — Light  grey  mixture. 
2 — Black. 

4 — Light  grey  mixture. 
6— Black. 

4 — Light  grey  mixture. 
6— Black. 

4 — Light  grey  mixture. 
2 — Black. 
20 — Light  grey  mixture. 

90 

STOCK  BLEND,  WARP  AND  FILLING. 
Black: 

50%  coarse  wool,  black  @  36c....  $  .1800 
50%  coarse  shoddy,  black  @  15c..  .0750 

Cost  per  pound    $  .2550 

Light  grey  mixture: 

30%  coarse  wool,  white  @  40c   $  .1200 

35%  coarse  shoddy,  white  @  25c..  .0875 

35%  coarse  shoddy,  black  @  15c..  .0525 

Cost  per  pound    $  .2600 


COST  CALCULATIONS. 
2,000  ends  warp  IVa   run  =  13.33 

oz.  +  10%  loom  take-up 14.66  oz. 
Filling: 

68"  X  30  picks  =  2,040. 

2,040  filling,   11/2   run  =   1,360  oz. 

-f    10%   loom  take-up   =  14.96  oz. 

Loom   weight    29.62  oz. 

Finished  weight,  22  oz. 

Warp: 

880  ends  black  =  5.86  oz.  -f  10% 

loom  take-up  -f  15%  waste.. =    7.57  oz. 

1,120  threads  light  grey  mixture 
=  7.46  oz.  -{-  10%  loom  take-up 
-f   15%   waste   =    9.66  oz. 

Filling: 

860  ends  black  =  5.74  oz.  -f  10% 

loom  take-up  -|-  15%  waste.. =     7.42  oz. 
1,180  ends  light  grey  mixture  = 
7.86  oz.  -f  10%  loom  take-up  + 

15%  waste   =  10.16  oz. 

7.57  oz.  black  warp. 
7.42  oz.  black  filling. 

14.99  oz.  @  $.2550  per  lb  =  $  .2389 

9.66  oz.  light  gray  warp. 
10.16  oz.  light  gray  filling. 

19.82  oz.  @  26c.  per  lb  =  $  .3220 

$  .5609 

Manufacturing  cost: 

30  picks   @   Ic  =  $  .3000 

Mill   cost    $  .8609 


LADIES'  SUITING 

12-Ounce   Nub,  Napped  Finish. 

These  goods  are  made  from  Joria  and  Khorassan  imported  wools, 
with  a  peircentage  of  good  shoddy  or  mill  waste.  They  are  made  in  a 
large  variety  of  colorings  and  designs,  such  as  1  x  1  hair  line,  3x1 
hair  line,  as  in  illustration,  and  2x2  Regatta  stripe,  and  in  various 
broken  stripes.  Theee  stripe  patterns,  made  with  the  coarse  rough  yarns 
and  finish,  are  very  popular  in  England  at  present.  The  large  "nubs"  or 
rather  "slugs"  in  this  cloth  enhanc  e  its  appearance  and  value.  The  picka 
per  inch  heing  low,  it  is  possible  for  a  mill  to  get  off  a  very  large  pro* 
duction.  The  nubs  or  slugs  are  made  from  a  fine  medium  wool,  and 
as  large  as  possible  on  nubbing  card,  so  whein  mixed  with  the  batcl] 
and  going  through  the  carding  operation,  the  large  slugs  are  caught  by 
the  workers  and  drawn  out  in  length.  These  slugs  have  to  be  folted  or 
fulled  a  little  before,  heing  added  to  the  batch  in  the  picker  room.  Yarna 
are  spun  a  good  fair  twist,  both  for  warp  and  filling,  and  about  2-3-draft 
is  required.  Full  to  56  inches,  inside  listing,  and  hold  loom  length  when 
finished.  Nap  slightly  after  extracting,  dry  at  57  inches,  hrush  and  preisa 
medium  pressure. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


255 


Layout: 
1,116  ends. 


Warp: 

1%  run,  right  twist. 

Filling: 

1%  run,  right  twist. 
20  picks. 

Reed — 8.2  in  dent  =  69%"  inside  listing. 

1    "  listing. 

70%"  over  all. 


Straight  draw  on  6  harness. 

2  listing. 


WEAVE. 

6  White  Nub  Warp 

5  Black 

4 

□  3  White  Nub  Warp 

■  2  Black 

1 


FRONT. 


Warp  pattern: 

2  black  1%  yarn. 
1  white  nub  yarn. 

Filling  Pattern: 

1  white  nub  yarn. 

2  black  nub  yarn. 


12-Ounce  Dress  Goods  Suiting,  3x1  Hair  Line. 


STOCK  BLEND  WARP  AND  FILLING. 

Black — 35%  East  India  or  Khoras- 

san  30c  =  $  .1050 

65%  Black    serge  shoddy 

12c  =  .0780 


Cost  per  lb   $  .1830 

White — 15%  Large  white  nubs  @ 

60c  =  $  .0900 

35%  White  Joria  wove  @ 

40c  =  .1400 

50%  White   coarse  shoddy 

@    30c  =  .1500 


Cost  per  lb   $  .3800 

COST  CALCULATION. 
1,116  ends  wp.,   1%   run   =  6.37 

oz.   +  10%  loom  take-up  =     7.00  oz, 

70%"  X  20  picks  =  1,414. 

14.14  -5-  1%  run  =  8.08  oz.  +  10% 


loom  take-up   =  8.88 

Loom  weight    15.88  oz. 

Finished  weight    12  oz. 

4.66  oz.  black  warp  yarn. 
5.92  oz.  black  filling  yarn. 

10,58  oz.    -I-    15%   waste  allowance 

=  12.4  oz.  @  18.3c.  per  lb  =  $  .1418 

2.33  oz.  white  nub  warp. 
2.96  oz.  white  nub  filling. 

5.29  oz.    -}-    15%   waste  allowance 

=  6.2  oz.  @  38c.  per  lb  =  .1472 

$  .2890 

Manufacturing  cost: 

20  picks  @  1.10c  =  $  .2200 

Mill  cost    $  .5090 


256 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Dress  Goods  Suiting,  With  Broken  Stripe  Effect. 

Here  is  another  illustration  of  same  fabric  and  yarns  but  in  one  of 
the  broken  stripe  effects.  This  style  will  cost  a  trifle  more  for  stock,  as 
there  is  a  larger  percentage  of  white  yarns  in  the  pattern. 


i 


12-Ounce  Dress  Goods  Suiting  With  B  roken  Stripe  Effect. 


Layout:  COST  CALCULATIONS. 

1,116  ends,  1%  run  warp  and  filling.  ,  ,  , 

8  reed,  2  in  dent  69%"  wide.  ?^^}^  T^^.^P' 

1"      listing-.  4.44  oz.  black  filling. 

703/"  ovpr   all  7.94  OZ.  +  15%  waste  allowance  = 

i^A    over   an.  ^  ^         ^  ^^^^   _  ^  ^^^^ 

DRAFT  ^'^^        white  nub  warp. 

4.44  oz,  white  nub  filling. 

□                                                  12  12 

11  11                7.94  oz.  +  15%  waste  allowance  = 

10  10  9.3  oz.  @  38c.  per  lb  =  .2209 

□■^^■□B                              8  8                                                                                                              *  0970 

■                                          7  7                                                                                                               $  .3272 

6       6       6       6  Manufacturing  cost: 

4^      4  4       4  20  picks  @  1.10c   $  .2200 


Mill  cost    $  .5472 


FRONT. 


ASTRACHAN  CLOAKING 

26/2  Ounce,  Fancy  Weave. 

The  illustrations  accompanying  this  layout  and  calculations  are  photo- 
graphic reproductions  of  the  raw  cloth  (unfinished)  which  shows  both  the 
face  and  the  back  of  the  cloth  to  give  a  better  understanding  of  how  the 
weave  in  combination  with  the  yarns  are  interwoven  to  give  the  wave 
twill  effect.  You  will  observe  the  small  straight  twill  on  face  is  gradually 
enlarged  to  a  broad  twill,  showing  loops  of  the  lustre  worsted  yarn,  which 
will,  on  being  fulled,  curl  up  in  loop  s  or  bunches.  This  cloth  must  be  made 
with  comparatively  few  ends  and  set  open  in  the  reed,  which  gives  the 
lustre  yarn  a  chance  to  curl  in  the  process  of  fulling.  The  small  straight  twill 
is  formed  jy  the  finer  warp  yarn  being  set  close  in  the  reed,  while  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


257 


coarser  warp  yarns  are  set  open,  which  makes  the  twill  large  and  wide. 
The  construction  is  quite  ingenious,  and  a  novelty  in  cloth  fabrication.  The 
same  care  must  be  used  in  the  finishing  of  this  fabric  as  in  the  Rating 
cloaking,  and  although  this  cloth  construction  is  not  so  liable  to  have  mill 
wrinkles,  the  filling  must  be  watched  closely  to  prevent  any  such  possibil- 
ity. Full  to  56  inches;  scour,  extract;  piece  dye  to  shade;  dry  to  57  inches; 
brush  and  shear  off  any  coarse  hairs  on  back,  no  pressing  being  required. 
Goods  are  finished  loom  length. 

Layout: 

1,800  ends  warp 

Dressed: 

20  ends,  2  run,  left  twist.  Medium. 

16     "      4     "       *'        "  Hard. — Must  be 
strong  yarn. 

36  ends,  10  patterns,  5  sections. 
1,000  ends,  2  run,  wp.  left. 
800      "      4  ." 


1111111 

Reed  5,  70  inches. 

4     4     4     4     4     8  8 

Filling-  pattern: 

1  pick,   3s  lustre  worsted,   soft  spun  left. 

2  picks,  2  run,  woolen,  soft  spun  left. 

48  picks. 

Draw  straight  on  12  harness*. 


Back. 


258 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


WEAVE  CHAIN, 
■■□■■■□□■■□□□□■□■□■■□■□□■□□■■□■□□■□u 

■■□■□□■□□■■□■■■□□■■□□□□■□HaeHDBaDHDD 
■  □□■■□■□□^□□■■□■■■□□■■□□uLjHDH 

iLj»aHaDHmHHaHaHuaaaauDDHL_BD»HU 

■■□■□□■□□■■□■□□■□□HMDHHH  JGHHDaDuliaBa 

□■□■■□■□□■□□■■□■□□■□□aaaaiHJDBaaDuDB 
□aaaBDHanaDDBDnaanaDDaaL-aaaaanuaaa^D 
BDDaaMDBaBa.-BDDBDnaaaaaaaDJKBnBBflDaB 
□□aaDaaDaaaDaaDaaaaDaBaaannBD_ia«Daaa 


Warp  calculations: 

1,000  ends,   2   run   =   5.00  oz. 

+  10%  loom  take-up   =     5.50  oz. 

800  ends,    4   run   =   2.00  oz. 

+  10%  loom  take-up   =    2.20  oz. 

Filling: 

70  inches  X  48  picks  =  3,360. 

1,120  Threads  3s  lustre  =  10.66 

oz.   -f   10%   loom  take-up..  =  11.72  oz. 

2,240  Threads,  2  run  wool  = 
11.20  oz.  +  10%  loom  take- 
up    =  12.32  oz. 

Loom  weight   31.74  oz. 

Finished  weight    261/2  oz. 


Stock: 

Rlend  for  2-run  yarns. 
40%  Fine  medium  wool  i 
60%  Fine  shoddy  @  18c. 


Stock: 

Blend  for  4-run  yarn. 

70%  Fine  medium  wool  @  56c. 

30%  Fine  shoddy  @  18c  

Cost  per  lb  


56c.  $  .2240 
  =  .1080 


.3920 
.0540 


$  .4460 


3s  Lustre  Worsted  Yarn,  made  from  im- 
ported English  Lincoln  wool,  70c. 

COST  CALCULATIONS. 

Warp: 

5.50    oz.     2-run    yarn    -f-  15% 

waste    allowance    =    6.47  oz. 

@  33.20c.  per  lb   =  $  .1342 

2.20    oz.    4-run    yarn    +  10% 

waste   allowance    =    2.44  oz. 

@  44.60c.  per  lb   .0680 

Filling: 

12.32    oz.    2-run    yarn    +  15% 

waste  allowance   =   14.50  oz. 

@  32.20c.  per  lb   =  $  .2980 

11.72    oz.     3s    worsted     -f  5% 

waste  allowance  =   12.32  oz. 

@  70c.  per  lb   .5390 

$1.0392 

Manufacturing  costs: 

48  picks  @  .82c   =  $  .3936 

Less    cost    of  manufacturing 

12.32  oz.  of  yarn   =  .0300 

  .3636 

Mill    cost   $1.4028 


Cost  per  lb. 


$  .3320 


COTTON  WilRP  ASTRACHAN  CLOAKING 

The  most  expensive  astrachans  are  woven  on  a  wire  loom,  which  is  sim- 
ilar to  a  carpet  loom.  Two  warp  beams  are  required,  (1)  for  the  lustre 
loop  yarn  and  (1)  for  the  body  warp,  which  is  usually  cotton  yarn.  The 
loop  or  curl  yarn  is  looped  on  the  face  of  the  cloth,  being  stitched  into 
the  body  fabric  about  every  half  inch.  The  cheapest  astrachan  cloth  made 
IS  what  IS  known  as  the  knitted  astrachan.  It  is  made  usually  with  an 
all-cotton  yarn  ground  with  the  lustre  yarn  looped  on  the  face.  This 
makes  quite  an  attractive  fabric  to  any  who  are  not  experienced  in  hand- 
ling such  goods,  but  it  does  not  make  up  so  satisfactorily  into  garments  as 
the  woven  fabric.  The  knit  fabric  is  sleazy  and  will  not  keep  its  shape 
when  made  up.  It  is  also  open  in  construction,  light  in  weight,  and  lack- 
ing m  warmth.  The  fabric  here  analyzed  is  the  woven  astrachan,  made 
on  a  regular  broad  woolen  loom,  the  ground  weave  being  the  regular  3- 
harness  twill,  2  up  and  1  down,  throwing  the  woolen  filling  to  the  back  of 
the  ^loth,  while  the  lustre  loop  yarn  is  thrown  to  the  face  in  a  succession 
of  1  jops. 

The  ground  pick  floats  over  1  thread  and  under  2  threads,  while 
thf  lustre  yarn  floats  over  11  ground  threads,  and  binding  with  seven 
other  ground  threads,  every  alternate  loop  covering  the  place  where  the 
pr3vious  pick  of  loop  yarn  was  bound.  The  ground  filling  yarn  is  spun 
he  ivy  with  a  medium  soft  twist  to  right,  and  a  long  draft  is  necessary, 
about  %  to  %,  It  depending  a  good  deal  on  the  stock  used.  The  lustre 
yarn  thread.  No.  3s  worsted,  is  twisted  with  a  2-run  woolen  yarn,  spun 
60ft  to  the  right,  and  when  twisted  with  the  lustre  yarn  the  twist  is  con- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  259 


tinued  to  the  right,  3  to  4  turns  per  inch.  This  hardens  the  woolen  yarn 
twist  and  practically  takes  out  all  the  original  twist  oc  the  lustre  yarn. 
The  lustre  yarn  is  allowed  to  run  without  any  tension  on  the  thread,  and 
if  the  twister  machine  has  2  sets  of  feed  rolls  arran'^ed  with  different 
speeds  it  is  better  to  have  the  lustre  yarn  fed  a  trifle  faster  than  the 
woolen  or  core  yarn,  which  gives  it  a  slight  curl  effect  before  weaving. 

The  cloth  should  be  crabbed  well  before  being  scoured  in  soap.  Give 
a  good  scouring  and  use  plenty  of  warm  water  when  rinsing  off.  Finish 
at  56  inches  wide,  no  pressing  being  required.  Cloth  will  finish  longer 
than  woven  cotton  yarn. 


Layout: 

2,240  ends  2/20. 

Reed  11 — 3,  68  inches,  40  picks. 
Draw  straight  on  18  harness. 
Stock  for  2-run  twisting  yarn: 
20%  Fine  medium  wool  @  48c. 
80%  Good  clean  mill  waste  @ 
12c  

Cost  per  lb  


$  .0960 
.0960 
$  .1920 


Stock  for  body  filling: 

Clean  mill  waste  @  12c.  per  lb. 
Lustre  yarn  3s  worsted  @  72c.  per  lb. 
Spooled  for  twisting. 

Filling: 

1  pick,  IVs  woolen  yarn,  soft  twist  right. 
1     "      r  3s  lustre  worsted,  left  twist. 

Twisted  3-4  turns  per  inch  to  right 
with  2-run  yarn;  right  twist  soft. 

18 
17 
16 
15 
14 

13  ■□□^■■■□□□■■■□□□■G 

12 
11 

10 

» 

6 
5 

4  ■■ 

8 
2 
1 


COST  CALCULATIONS. 

2,240  ends  2/20  cotton  yarn  = 

4.48  oz.   -1-  10%  loom  take-up  =     4.92  oz. 

3s  lustre  4-  8%  twist  take-up. 
=  14.11  oz.  -f  10%  loom  take- 
up    =  15.52  oz. 

2-run  yarn  -f-  10%  twist  take- 
up  =  7.77  oz.  -f-  10%  loom 
take-up    =    8.54  oz. 

1,360    ends    IVs    body    filling  = 

12.08  oz.  +  10%  loom  take-up  =  13.28  oz. 

Loom  weight    42.26  oz. 

Finished  weight,  32  or  33  oz. 
4.92  oz.  2/20s     cotton     yarn  on 
spools  @  30c.  per  lb   =  $  .0922 

15.52  oz.  lustre  yarn  -f-  6%  twist- 
ing and  weaving  waste  =  16.51 

oz.  @  72c.  per  lb   =  .7430 

8.54  oz.  2-run  twisting  -|-  18% 
waste  allowance  =  10.41  oz.  @ 
19.20c.   per  lb   =  ,1249 

13.28  oz.  1%  filling  +  20%  waste 
allowance  =  16.60  oz.  @  12c. 
per  lb   =  .1245 

Manufacturing  cost    $1.0846 

40  picks  @  .90c   =  .3600 

Mill  cost   $1.4446 


FRONT. 


No  allowance  is  made  for  extra  cost  of  twisting  face  yarns,  as  it  will 
be  offset  by  the  fact  that  the  warp  yarn,  4.48  ounces,  and  the  lustre  yarn, 
161/^  ounces,  are  bought  ready  for  use,  hence  the  mill  is  relieved  of  the 
cost  of  carding  and  spinning  these  yarns. 


Dyeing  Particulars. 

As  these  filling  (woolen)  yarns  are  made  from  mill  waste  which  may 
contain  a  more  or  less  percentage  of  cotton,  it  is  necessary  to  dye  the 
pieces  with  a  good  union  black  dye.  The  dyestuff  used  in  Philadelphia 
with  great  satisfaction  is  Union  Black  A.  N.  For  100  po  mds  of  goods  dyed 
in  the  piece  use  a  solution  containing  5  per  cent  Unicn  Black  A.  N.,  ten 
per  cent  common  salt,  and  10  per  cent  Glauber's  salt.  Enter  at  low  temper- 
ature, bring  slowly  to  a  boil,  and  boil  for  forty  minute? .  Shut  off  the  steam 
and  run  for  thirty  minutes  longer,  then  rinse  well. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


HEAVY-WEIGHT  WHIPCORH 


This  is  a  cloth  used  a  great  deal  for  riding  breeches,  and  other  us- 
ages requiring  a  strong,  hard-faced  and  flexible  cloth;  that  is,  a  cloth 
which  is  elastic,  and  yet  firm  at  the  same  time.  The  twist  yarn  requires 
the  best  of  wool  to  ensure  evenness  and  freedom  from  nubs  or  specks. 
The  yarn  must  be  smooth  and  the  wool  thoroughly  clean  and  carefully  pre- 
pared. Care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  cards  are  in  good  condition 
and  doffers  not  running  too  fast.  Spin  five-eighth  draft  and  medium  twist. 
This  fabric  is  fulled  to  57  inches.  Scour,  dry,  shear,  steam,  brush  and  press 
medium.   Hold  loom  length. 

□□■□laaHBDB  11 
□■□□■□fiiMaaa  i' 

■■■aaaoDaaii  ^ 

□aaaaaGaaja  i 

□aaaaaaanan  6 

anaanaaaaaD  & 

BDanaaaaaBj  ^ 

mma  iauaaGia  ^ 

aa^aa  m  nmn  2 

aaiaaaaDana  > 
□□ajan  aaaa 
BanaDaaaDD-i 

FRONT. 


List 


26-Ounce    Heavy-Weight  Whipcord. 


Warp: 

4,400  ends. 
1  1 


11% 


in  dent. 


691^"  inside  listing  plus  1"  for  listing  = 

10V2"  over  all. 
White,  5  run;  twist  22  times. 
48  picks. 

31/2   run,  left  twist. 

fvarp  yarn: 

5  run  dark  olive  brown,  left  twist. 

run  white,   left  twist. 
Yarn  is  twisted  right  on  twister,  22  turns 

per  inch. 
Straight  draw  on  11  harness. 
2  extra  for  listing. 


Warp  yarn: 

5  X  51/2  twisted  +  8%  take-up  =  2.42  run. 
4,400   ends  2.42   run    =   18.20  oz. 

plus  10%  take-up   =  20.00  oz. 

Filling: 

7OV2"  X   48  picks  =  3V2  run  yarn. 
3,384        3.50  =  9.66  oz.  plus  10% 

take-up   =  10.60  oz. 

Loom  weight   =  30.60  oz. 

Finished  weight   =  26.00  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 
Warp: 

Fine  wool  @   66c.  per  lb. 

20  oz.   twist  yarn   +   10%  waste 

allowance   =  22.00  oz. 

Filling: 

Fine  medium  Terr.  @  56c.  per  lb. 

10.6  oz.  +  8%  waste  allowance. =  11.50  oz. 

22  oz.  warp  @  66c.  per  lb   =  $  .9025 

11.5  oz.  filling  @  56c.  per  lb...  =  .4025 

Cost  of  stock    $1.3050 

Manufacturing  cost: 

48  picks  @  $.0082   =  .3936 

Extra  spooling  twisting  warp  yarn 

5c.  per  lb.;  22  oz.  at  5c  0700 

Mill   cost    .  .  $  .1.7686 


FINE  QUALITY  (MEN'S  WEUR)  SUITING 

nis  fabric  is  made  from  fine  wools,  combined  with  a  2-32s  two-tone 
worsted  twist.  The  woolen  spun  yarns  require  careful  carding  and  spin- 
ning. Yarns  must  be  level  and  free  from  twits.  Warp  yarn  is  spun  with 
1,050  to  1,080  turns  of  twist,  and  filling  yarn  with  950  to  975  turns.  The 
draft  is  %s  to  %s.    Goods  are  fulled  to  56  inches  inside  listing,  and  fin- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  (GLOSSARY  261 

ished  woven  length.  Scour,  extract,  dry  at  57  inches  and  back  burl.  Shear, 
steam  brush,  press  medium  pressure,  giving  goods  a  little  steam,  and  keep 
on  roll  over  night 


12I/2-Ounce  Fine  Quality  Men's  Wear  Suiting. 


Layout: 

3,200  ends. 
ll%/4. 

69%"  inside  listing. 
1"      for  listing. 

70V^"  over  all. 

Warp  pattern: 

4— VV^hite  5  run,  right  twist. 
4 — Grey  mix,  5  run,  right  twist. 

Filling  pattern: 

4 — Black  5Vi  run,  right  twist. 
4 — Black  and  stain  2/32s  worsted. 
Weave  4  harness,  twill  to  right. 
54  picks. 

Draw  on  8  harness. 

Tfi^Jack.  ^ 

■□□■■□□r 


a 


hite. 


<M^  5 

The   grey   mix    in    the   warp   is   made  as 
follows: 

5%  navy  blue  fine  wool  @  60c. 
45%  black  fine  wool   @  60c. 
15%  light  stain  (pearl)  fine  wool   @  60c. 
35%  white  fine  wool   @  60c. 

100% 


The  stain  color  in  the  2/32s  worsted  twist 
is  the  same  shade  as  the  light  stain 
(pearl)  in  the  grey  mixture,  and  is  slub 
dyed. 


COST  CALCULATIONS. 

Warp: 

3,200  ends  -t-  5  run  =  6.44  oz.  + 

10%  loom  take-up   =  7.08  oz. 

Filling: 

70 1/^"  X  54  picks  =  3,800. 

1,900  threads  run   =  3.62 

oz.   +  10%  loom  take-up  =  3.98  oz. 

1,9  00  threads  2/32s  -|-  6%  take-up 

in  twisting. 
2/30S    =    3.62    oz.    -f    10%  loom 

take-up   =  3.98  oz. 

Loom  weight   15.04  oz. 

Finished  weight,  12i/^  oz. 
Warp: 

7.08   oz.    -}-    8%    waste  allowance 

=  7.70  oz.  @  60c.  per  lb  =  %  .2887 

Filling: 

3.98    oz.    -f-    8%    waste  allowance 

=  4.22  oz.  @  60c.  per  lb  =  .1583 

3.98  oz.  worsted  +  3%  waste  al- 
lowance =  4.10  oz.  @  $1.20 
per  lb  =  .3075 

I  .7545 

Manufacturing: 

54  picks   @    $.0076   =  .4104 

Mill  cost    $1.1649 


262  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 

DRESS  GOODS  SUITING 

12!/^-0unce,  Worsted  Loop  Filling. 

This  fabric  is  made  somewhat  after  the  idea  of  a  Ratine  cloth.  The 
warp  yarn  is  made  from  a  medium  quality  of  wool,  combined  with  a 
quarter-blood  carbonized  noil.  It  is  woven  with  white  warp  and  black 
loop  yarn  dyed  fast  acid  black  to  stand  cross  dyeing.  Then  the  white 
warp  can  be  dyed  into  e.ny  desired  shade,  giving  a  handsome  lino  of 
ground  colors,  all  with  the  black  loop  filling.  It  is  also  made  with  all 
white  stock,  warp  and  filling,  and  dyed  any  desired  shade  in  monotone, 
giving  a  very  rich  pebbled  cloth,  suitable  for  the  finest  trade.  This  worst- 
ed loop  may  be  used  also  in  fancy  patterns,  such  as  1  x  1  hair  lines,  2  x 
2  Regatta  stripes,  and  various  broken  stripes  and  plaids,  in  the  ground 
pattern.  The  fabric  may,  therefore,  be  classed  as  a  semi-piece  dye,  plain 
and  fancy,  also  as  a  regular  piece  dye  fabric.  The  warp  yarn  is  spun  to 
three  run,  well  twisted,  and  must  be  even  and  free  from  twits,  as  the  plain 
weave  is  always  hard  on  the  warp  yarn,  and  any  broken  ends,  or  short 
ends  out,  must  be  sewed  in,  hence  the  necessity  of  good  strong  yarn. 

Filling  Yarn. 

The  worsted  filling  yarn  is  a  three-ply  twist,  necessitating  two  twist-, 
ing  operations  and  twisting  machines  having  two  sets  of  feed  rolls  ar- 
ranged with  variable  speeds.    The  12s  lustre  yarn,  soft  spun,  left  twist, 
is  twisted  first  with  a  2-32s   quarter-blood  worsted  right  twist.  These 
threads  are  twisted  together  about  10  turns  per  inch,  right  twist.  The 


12I/2-Ounce  Dress  Goods  Suiting. 


feed  rolls  conveying  the  12s  yarn  are  speeded  to  run  about  50  per  cent 
faster  than  the  rolls  conveying  the  2 -32s  yarn,  which  makes  a  continuous 
kinky  or  curly  effect  on  the  yarn. 

This  yarn  is  not  suitable  for  weaving  at  this  stage,  as  the  loop  would 
slip  on  the  base  thread,  hence  it  is  necessary  to  twist  it  the  second  time, 
reversing  the  twist,  that  is,  to  the  left,  about  six  turns  per  inch,  with  the 
16s  single  worsted,  which  will  hold  the  loops  tight  on  the  base  yarn.  Be- 
tween the  first  and  second  twisting  the   yarns   are   thoroughly  steamed. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


263 


You  will  notice  in  the  first  twisting  that  the  original  twist  is  taken  out  of 
the  12s  lustre  yarn,  which  opens  the  thread  and  makes  it  fuzzy  at  the 
loop,  while  the  twist  is  continued  or  hardened  on  the  2-32s  yarn.  In  the 
second  twisting  the  twist  of  the  2- 32s  yarn  is  taken  out,  and  the  twist 
of  the  16s  single  yarn  is  continued  or  hardened. 

This  yarn  construction  may  be  cheapened  by  using  a  twist  cotton  yarn 
for  the  base  instead  of  the  worsted.  Any  manufacturer  not  equipped  with 
the  necessary  twisters  can  buy  the  yarn  alreaay  to  weave.  In  burl- 
ing this  cloth  all  knots  must  be  pulled  through  to  the  back,  but  not  cut 
off  until  the  cloth  is  ready  to  shear.  If  the  knots  were  cut  off  previous  to 
fulling  and  scouring,  the  ends  would  shrink  just  enough  to  cause  a 
small  pin-head  ho.^e  in  every  case.  After  the  goods  are  dyed  and  dry,  the 
knots  can  be  cut  off  by  the  shear,  care  being  taken  to  raise  the  blades 
enough  not  to  cut  off  the  worsted  pebbled  effect.  Give  very  slight  fulling 
without  any  cramping.  Scour,  extract,  and  piece  dye  to  shade.  Dry  at  57 
inches,  press  lightly,  and  steam  off  face  to  lift  the  worsted  loops. 


Layout: 
1,120  ends. 
81/2 — 2  reed. 

66"   inside   listing   plus   1"   for   listing  = 

67 '  over  all. 
20  picks. 

Plain  cloth  weave. 

Draw  straight  on  8  harness. 


Warp: 

25%  fine  med.  wool  @  48c  =  $  .1200 

75%  med.  carb.  noil  @  40c  =  .3000 


Cost  per  pound   $  .4200 


12s  lustre  worsted   75c.  per  lb. 

2/32S        blood  worsted  87c.  per  lb. 

16s  1/4  blood  worsted  80c.  per  lb. 

67"   X    20  picks  =  1,340. 

1,340  threads  12s  =  3.19  oz.  + 
50%  twisting  take-up  =  4.78 
oz.  -f  10%  weaving  take-up.. =  5.26  oz. 

1,340  threads  2/32s  =  2.39  oz.  -f 
15%  twisting  take-up  =  2.74 
oz.  +  10%  weaving  take-up.. =    3.01  oz. 

1,340  threads  16s  =  2.39  oz.  + 
20%  twisting  take-up  =  2.86 
oz.  -t-  10%  weaving  take-up.. =    3.14  oz. 

1,120  ends  warp  3  run  10%  take- 
up  -f  10%  waste  allowance  = 
4.40  oz.  @  42c.  per  lb  =  $.1155 

5.26  oz.  12s  worsted  -\-  6%  waste  al- 
lowance =  5.60  oz.  @  75c.  per  lb.=  .2625 

3.01  oz.  2/32S  worsted  -f  3%  waste 


allowance  =  3.11  oz.  @  87c.  per 

lb  =  .1700 

3.14  oz.  16s  worsted  -f-  3%  waste 
allowance  =  3.24  oz.  @  80c.  per 
lb  ==  .1620 


Manufacturing  cost    $  .7100 

20  picks  @  $.1100   =  .2200 

Extra  cost  (twisting)   =  .0250 


Mill  cost    $.9550 


Loom  weight,   16  oz. 
Finished  weight,  12%  oz. 


HOMESPUN  FABRICS 

The  name  homespun  is  applied  to  a  number  of  different  fabrics,  usually 
any  cloth  made  from  coarse  kempy  wools,  heavy  yarns  or  plain  cloth  weave 
with  a  rough  finish.  The  real  genuine  homespun,  however,  is  a  rare  fab- 
ric to  find  in  the  market,  but  there  are  many  good  imitations,  and  the  fabric 
here  illustrated  is  one  of  the  best  of  them.  As  its  name  implies,  the  home- 
spun is  a  cloth  made  up  in  the  homes,  where  the  wool  is  carded,  yarns  are 
spun  and  cloth  is  woven,  every  operation  being  done  by  hand  labor.  The 
process  of  carding  and  spinning  by  hand  is  a  very  ancient  one,  and  dates 
3.way  back  into  .the  mists  of  antiquity.  In  comparatively  modern  times 
our  grandmothers  carded  the  home-grown  wools  by  hand  cards,  which  were 
made  out  of  a  piece  of  hard  wood  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  and  14 
inches  long  by  five  inches  wide,  having  a  handle  in  the  centre.  This  hand 
card  was  covered  with  a  piece  of  card  cloth,  also  made  by  hand  labor  in 


264 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABiRICS  GLOSSARY 


the  early  days,  but  about  a  century  ago  an  automatic  card  clothing  machine 
was  invented. 

Carding  Process. 

The  carding  was  done  by  placing  a  small  bunch  of  wool  on  the  card  • 
held  by  the  left  hand,  and  drawing  the  other  card  across  it  against  the 
points  of  the  wire  by  reversing  the  draw,  that  is,  by  pulling  with  the  slant 
of  the  wire  the  wool  was  stripped  off.  Hence,  hand  carding  was  a  process 
of  combing  or  carding  with  the  points  of  the  wire  on  tlie  cards  opposed  to 
each  other,  repeating  the  stroke  over  and  over  again,  in  order  to  mix  or 
blend  the  fibre  and  colors  into  a  satisfactory  mixture.  Then,  by  revers- 
ing  the  card,  the  wool  was  stript>fc'J  :>il'  into  a  small  roll  about  half  to  five- 
eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter  and  about  14  inches  long. 

This  roll  was  then  placed  on  the  spinning  wheel  and,  by  a  process 
which  is  impossible  to  describe,  the  roll  was  drawn  out  and  spun  into  a 
thread  of  yarn.  Then  came  the  dressing  of  the  warp  and  the  weaving  of 
the  cloth.  Needless  to  say  the  work  was  hard  and  laborious,  and,  except  in 
very  exceptional  cases  of  skillful  handling,  the  product  was  uneven  in  the 
mixture,  and  the  cloth  was  raw  and  coarse  in  texture. 


12-Ounce  Homespun  Fabric. 

After  the  introduction  of  carding  machines  very  few  farmers  did  their 
own  carding,  but  sent  the  wool  to  the  custom  carding  mills,  which  made  the 
rolls  on  a  machine  at  the  rate  of  50  or  60  per  minute,  at  a  cost  of  a  few 
cents  per  pound  to  the  farmer.  The  spinning  and  weaving  was  still  done  at 
the  homes  by  the  wives  and  daughters.  Such  was  the  method  of  manufactur- 
ing in  the  olden  times,  and  it  is  so  done  to-day  in  remote  districts  in  Quebec 
and  the  Maritime  provinces. 

Modern  Results  Too  Perfect. 

The  modern  manufacturer,  when  h  e  attempts  to  make  a  homespun  fabric, 
generally  gets  the  work  too  perfect  in  the  weaving  or  blending  of  the  different 
colors,  and  the  cloth  lacks  the  mottled  uneven  appearance  of  the  genuine 
homespun.  In  making  the  homespun  here  illustrated,  the  manufacturer 
aimed  to  follow  or  imitate  the  primitive  methods,  as  far  as  possible,  and  use 
the  modern  machinery.  Therefore,  the  wool  in  this  case  was  natural  sheep 
brown  for  the  dark  shade,  40  per  cent,  and  white  wool,  60  per  cent.  The 
two  colors  were  oiled  and  picked  separately,  each  color  being  run  through 
the  picker  twice,  then  spread  carefully  in  thin  layers,  first  a  layer  of  white 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


265 


wool,  then  a  layer  of  natural  sheep  brown,  and  so  on  in  alternate  layers, 
until  the  whole  batch  was  laid  down  in  a  pile. 

The  batch  was  then  run  through  the  picker  once,  care  being  taken  to 
cut  the  pile  from  top  to  bottom  to  get  as  even  a  blend  as  possible.  In  card- 
ing a  Bramwell  feed  was  used,  and  the  side  drawing  from  the  first  breaker 
card  was  carried  over  the  second  carding  cylinder  to  the  finisher  card  by 
th 3  Apperly  carrier.  The  workers  on  both  breaker  and  finisher  cards  were 
set  open,  so  that  the  stock  would  not  be  mixed  and  carded  too  much.  Just 
enough  carding  was  done  to  condense  the  wool  into  roping  sufficient  to  in- 
sure a  good  production  in  the  spinning  room.  If  one  had  an  old  creel  feed 
..^.iia  ur  an  Apperiy  it  would  be  an  improvement.  There  is  no  chance  to 
use  shoddy  in  this  fabric,  as  all  stock  must  be  of  good  staple  wool.  The 
yarn  was  spun  to  two  and  one-quarter  run  warp,  right  twist  and  two  and 
one-half  run  filling  right  twiit,  about  five-eighths  draft  being  allowed.  The  fol- 
lowing are  a  few  of  the  most  popular  homespun  mixtures  as  made  in  Scot- 
land: 

40%  natural  sheep  brown.  Also  the  Lovat  mixtures: 

60%  white  wool.  11%  light  indigo  blue. 

30%  olive  dyed  wool.  25%  dark  yellow  drab. 

70%  white.  9%  yellow  brown. 

({Oo/„  opoi    brown  ^^"^^  '^^ht  red   or  cinnamon  color. 

40%  white  2^^^  chrome  yellow. 

4U%  White.  white. 

10%  black  wool. 

10%  light  blue  staiK.  38%  light  indigo  blue. 

80%  white.  22%  chrome  yellow. 

25%  black.  }2%  white. 

75%  white.  bright  yellow. 

oA«^       11  1.  12%  yellow  brown. 

20%  yellow  drab. 

20%  lavender  slate. 

60%  medium  dark  brown. 

20%  dark   cerulean  green. 

20%  light  red  brown. 

15%  seal  brown. 

45%  white. 

Blending  Done  Successfully. 

Scotch  manufacturers  have  used  with  great  success  in  homespuns,  espe- 
cially in  dress  goods,  or  materials  with  rough  effects,  a  percentage  of  cam- 
els hair  tops,  also  mohair  and  alpaca  wools.  These  blends  were  very  attrac- 
tive, the  mohair  combinations  especially  showing  up  lustrous  and  silky.  The 
weaves  generally  used  are  the  plain  cloth  to  finish  10  ounces  to  12  ounces, 
and  the  four  harness  twill  weave  for  goods  to  finish  12  ounces  to  14  ounces 
per  yard,  56  inches  wide.  Handsome  patterns  are  made  in  1x1,  2x2  warps 
and  fillings,  using  contrasted  shades  in  both  weaves. 

The  goods  are  laid  not  over  68  inches  wide  in  the  reed  and  scoured  be- 
fore fulling,  very  little  of  the  latter  being  required.  Dry  at  57  inches,  shear 
off  long  hairs,  brush  and  press  medium. 

Layout:  COST  CALCULATIONS. 

1,400    ends.  1,400  ends  214  run  =  6.20 

101/2/2  reed.  oz.  +  10%  take-up.  .=  6.82  oz. 

67"  inside  listing  plus   i/^"  for  listing   =  6.82  oz.  +  15%  waste  al- 

671/2"  over  all.  lowance   =  8  oz. 

Listing  of  white  yarn;  each  selvage.  68"    X    24   picks   2i^  run 

=  6.53  oz.  +  10%  take- 
Warp:  up   =  7.18  oz. 

9  1,  7.18  oz.  -I-  15%  waste  al- 

lowance   .=  8.45  oz. 

Loom  weight   14.00  oz.  16.45  oz. 

2\i2  run. 

Weave   4   harness.  Finished  weight,  12  oz. 

Twill  to  right.  Stock: 

Good  quality  B  super  @   50c.  per  lb. 
16.45  oz.   @  50c  =  $  .5140 

Manufacturing: 

24  picks  @   $.0160  =  $  .2544 

Mill  cost    $  .7684 


266 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


MEDIUM-WEIGHT  BOYS'  SUITING 

With  Silk  Twist. 

This  is  a  strong  serviceable  fabric  for  boys'  suitings.  It  is  made  from 
coarse  imported  wool,  good  shoddy  or  mill  waste  and  silk  waste.  The  silk 
waste  gives  it  the  necessary  strength,  and  will  boil  out  the  same  as  an  all- 
wool  cloth.  Full  to  57  inches  wide,  scour,  dry,  shear,  steam,  brush  and  press 
medium.   Finish  loom  length. 


13!/2-Ounce  Medium-Weight  Boys'  Suiting. 


Layout: 

1,200  ends. 


Warp: 

9/2  reed;  66  2-3". 
20  picks. 

PATTERN. 


1%  run  grey  yarn  |  111112222211111  =  20  ends. 
2%   X  6  run  twist       S       111112222211111    =  20  ends. 

Plain  weave.   

40  X  5  patterns  X  5  sections 
=   1,200  ends. 

Filllngr: 

Pattern  and  colors  same  as  warp. 
20  picks. 


YARN  CALCULATIONS. 
600  ends,  1%  run,  right  twist,  grey  yarn  =  3.43  oz.  +  10%  loom  take- 
up  =  3.77  oz. 

rii™|„x      r  600  threads,  2%  run,  left  twist,  black  yarn  =  2.53  oz.    +  10%  loom 

12  HrnL    J         take-up  -I-  8%  twisting  take-up  =  3.02  oz. 

tJLr  \  'n^    ]  600  threads,   6  run,  left  twist  white  silk  yarn  =  1  oz.   +   10%  loom 

per  men.            take-up  -f  10%  twisting  take-up  =  1.19  oz. 

Filling:  68"  over  all  X  20  picks  =  1,360. 

680  threads,  1%  run,  right  twist  grey  yarn  =  3.88  oz.  -f  10%  loom  take- 
up   =  4.27  oz. 

T-wict      r  680  threads,   2%   run,  left  twist  black  yarn  =  2.86  oz.    -\-   10%  loom 

19  HrnL    J         takc-up  +  8%  twistiug  take-up  =  3.13  oz. 

rtZr.  !rIr>T;    1  ^80  thrcads,  6  run,  left  twist  white  silk  yarn  =  1.13  oz.  +  10%  loom 

oer  men.   j-         take-up  -f  10%  twisting  take-up  =  1.34  oz. 

Loom  weight    16.72  oz. 

Finished  weight    13.50  oz. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


267 


STOCK  BLEND. 
Gray   yarn  stock: 

Medium  twist,  mule  draft  5/8s. 

25%  black  shoddy  @  12c  =  $  .0300 

45%  white  shoddy  @  30c  =  .1350 

30%  white  Joria  wool  @40c  =  .1200 

Cost  per  lb   $  .2850 

Black  twisting  stock: 

Yarn  spun  soft,  mule  draft  5/8s. 

50%  black  shoddy  @   12c  =  $  .0600 

30%  black  garnetted  silk  @  36c.  =  .1080 
20%  black  coarse  wool  @  30c...  =  .0600 

Cost  per  lb   $  .2280 

White  silk  twisting  stock: 

Yarn  spun  soft,  mule  draft  fully  2/3s. 

10%  fme  white  wool  @  56c  =  $  .0560 

90%  white  silk  waste  @  40c  =  .3600 

Cost  per  lb   $  .4160 


3.77 
4.27 


3.02 
3.13 


1.19 
1.34 


oz.  grey  warp  1%  run. 
oz.  grey  lilling  1%  run. 

oz.  4-   15%  waste  allow- 
ance  =  9.46  oz. 

@  281/2  0.  per  lb  .  .  .  =  $.1685 

oz.  black     twisting  2% 

run  warp, 
oz.  black     twisting  2% 

lun  filling. 

oz.  +15%  waste  allow- 
ance  =  7.23  oz. 

@  22.8c.  per  lb.  .  .=  $.1030 

oz.  white    silk  twisting 
6  run  warp. 

oz.  white    silk  twisting 
6  run  filling. 

oz.  +   6%   waste  allow- 
ance  =  2.70  oz. 

@   41.6c.  per  lb.  .  .  =  $.0702 

Stock   per   yard  19.39  oz.  $.3417 

Spooling  and  twist- 
ing 2.53  oz.   @  31/20. 

per  lb  =  $.0055 

Manufacturing  cost: 

20  picks  @  $.0110.=  $.2200 

Mill  cost    $.5672 


HAIR  LINES  FOR  MEN'S  WEAR 

It  is  generally  acknowledged  that  the  earliest  known  weave  that  we  have 
any  samples  of  is  the  plain  weave,  without  patterns  of  any  kind,  but,  no 
doubt,  after  a  time  some  inventive  and  progressive  weaver  discovered  that 
it  was  possible  to  introduce  changes  in  threads  or  weave,  and  a  new  era 
dawned  in  the  history  of  weaving.  Possibly  the  first  discovery  was  making 
the  warp  one  thread  of  dark  colored  yarn  with  one  thread  of  white  yarn, 
and  weaving  it  also  one  dark  and  one  white,  using  the  plain  weave,  and 
there  we  have  the  original  hair  line.  In  due  time  from  this  plain  weave 
hair  line  there  was  evolved  the  four  harness  crow  twill  1x1  hair  line  and  the 
2x2  line  also. 

By  this  weave  it  was  possible  to  construct  a  heavier  cloth  than  could  be 
made  by  the  plain  weave,  as  more  ends  and  picks  per  inch  could  be 
put  in,  consequently  giving  better  weaving.  This  weave.  Figure  1, 
dressed  1x1  warp,  contrasted  colors  and  woven  2x2  filling,  contrasted  colors, 
produces  a  1x1  hair  line  of  the  same  appearance  as  the  plain  cloth,  but  a 
heavier  material.  By  changing  the  dressing  pattern  two  blacks  and  two 
white  and  weaving  2x2  black  and  white,  using  the  same  weaving  chain  as 
Figure  1,  you  make  a  2x2  line  or  Regatta  stripe  as  at  Figure  2. 

Fig.  1.  Fig.  2. 

^                  White  r                                                                   ^  Black 

I                  White  g  White 

^  Black  White 

Blact  =^  Black 

The  pattern  as  it  will  appear  when  woven  can  be  easily  traced  out  by 
referring  to  Figure  1.  Note  that  the  first  white  warp  thread  is  floated  over 
three  picks  and  must  necessarily  show  the  white  line  for  those  three  picks 
The  fourth  pick  which  binds  that  warp  thread,  being  a  white  pick  crossing 
over  the  white  warp  thread,  makes  the  continuation  of  the  white  line.  The 


268 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSS ARi 


next  warp  thread,  being  black,  is  shown  the  first  pick  as  binding  the  thread, 
and  as  this  pick  is  black,  covering  the  black  warp,  it  will  begin  a  black 
line.  The  warp  thread  is  then  floated  over  the  next  three  picks,  which 
completes  the  black  line,  and  so  on  with  the  other  threads.  It  is  quite  an 
interesting  study  for  anyone  not  a  practical  designer  to  pick  up  a  weave 
chain  and  apply  the  warp  and  filling  pattern  in  this  way  and  so  produce  the 
effect  of  the  woven  cloth.  By  combining  Figures  1  and  2,  as  represented  in 
Figure  3,  we  make  a  1x1  hair  line  on  four  front  harnesses  and  a  2x2  line  on 
the  four  back  harnesses.  The  pattern  can  be  made  any  desired  width  by 
dressing  the  warp,  for  front  sections,  one  thread  black  and  one  thread  white 
for  the  desired  width,  and  dressing  the  warp  for  the  back  section  two 
threads  black  and  two  threads  white  for  the  desired  width,  then  drawing  the 
1x1  on  front  four  harness  and  the  2x2  on  the  back  four  harness,  and  weav- 
ing it  2x2,  as  marked  on  chain.  Figure  3,  you  get  a  combination  hair  line 
stripe,  being  1x1  hair  line  for  desired  width  and  2x2  hair  line  for  desired 
width  of  stripe. 

Fig.  3. 

P  Black 

S  ■■□■■raa  Biack 

33  ■■■□■BHD  White 
^  White 


The  next  step  in  the  evolution  of  hair  lines  is  to  take  the  single  cloth 
v/eave.  Figure  1,  and  make  a  double  cloth  of  it,  as  shown  by  weave,  Fig- 
ure 4,  which  is  known  as  the  double  plain  weave,  but  it  is  the  same  weave  as 
Figure  1  on  the  face,  and  same  weave  inverted  for  the  back.  This  double 
cloth  weave  will  allow  of  making  a  heavier  cloth  out  of  the  same  yarns,  or 
by  using  fine  yarns,  such  as  worsted  yarns,  it  will  make  very  neat  hair  lines 
in  a  medium-weight  cloth.  This  weave  chain  dressed  and  woven  as  marked 
on  chain  will  make  a  1x1  hair  line  double  cloth,  as  illustrated.  By  dressing 
the  warp  one  thread  of  grey  and  seven  threads  of  black,  and  weaving  three 
picks  black  and  one  pick  of  grey,  using  Figure  4  weave  chain,  it  will  make 
a  3x1  hair  line,  face  and  back  being  the  same.  Again,  by  changing  the  pat- 
Fig.  4. 


.  □□■■■□■□'Grey 

H    ■□■□□□■■  'Grey 

^□□□■■■^  Black 

^    ^■■□■□□^  Black 

O    □□■■■□■□  Grey 

■□■□□□■■  Grey 

■□"□■■■□  Black 

■■■□■□□□  Black 


tern  in  dressing  to  four  threads  grey  and  four  threads  black,  filling  two  black 
and  two  grey,  and  using  the  Figure  4  weave,  changing  the  draft  so  that 
grey  threads  are  drawn  in  on  harness  Nos.  1,  2,  5  and  6,  and  black  threads 
on  Nos.  2,  4,  7  and  8,  it  will  make  a  2x  2  hair  line,  face  and  back  of  cloth  be- 
ing the  same  pattern.  Although  hair  lines  may  be  out  of  style  to-day,  it 
was  only  a  few  years  ago  when  there  was  an  active  demand  for  them  in  fine 
high-grade  worsteds,  especially  in  the  2x2  line  in  combination  of  skein  dyes 
and  mixtures  or  twists.  There  is  quite  a  yardage  cut  up  every  year  in  the 
cheaper  grades  among  the  pants  manufacturers,  so  that  they  may  be  almost 
considered  a  staple  cloth. 

The  1x1  and  3x1  lines  are  particularly  hard  to  make  perfect,  or  even  rea-. 
sonably  perfect,  as  any  variation  in  size  or  imperfection  in  the  yarn,  arising 
from  bad  carding  or  spinning,  show  up  very  strongly  on  the  finished  goods. 
Pa^ir  lines  are  made  in  single  yarn  warp  and  filling,  also  a,ll-cotton  warp 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


269 


and  shoddy  filling,  and  in  combinations  of  single  yarns  with  double  and 
twist,  and  in  worsteds,  skein  dyes,  mixtures  and  twists. 

Points  of  Importance. 

There  are  a  few  special  points  of  importance  in  the  manufacture  of 
these  goods,  and  one  of  the  most  important  is  the  absolute  necessity  of 
having  level  and  perfect  yarns.  Yarns  that  may  be  used  in  the  ordinary 
class  of  work  and  produce  sp/.isf actor y  goods,  if  woven  into  hair  lines  may 
be  so  imperfect  as  to  cause  uie  goods  to  be  classed  as  seconds.  This  is  a 
strong  statement,  but  it  can  be  backed  up  by  experience,  hence  great  care 
is  necessary  in  the  preparation  of  the  stock  and  in  th  carding  and  spinning 
departments. 


1  X  1  Hair  Line  Double  Cloth. 


If  yarns  are  carded  and  spun  right,  it  is  a  comparatively  easy  matter 
to  dress  and  weave  the  goods,  but  careful  attention  must  be  given  to  the  burl- 
ing and  sewing  in  the  finishing  department,  to  see  that  all  threads  are  in 
their  proper  place.  All  broken  ends  or  threads  out  must  be  sewed  in  before 
fulling.  Full  to  55  inches  inside  listing,  and  in  the  finer  grades  of  goods  it 
will  make  them  feel  more  clothy  to  full  a  little  in  length.  Dry  to  57  inches 
inside  listing.  Shear,  brush  with  steam,  press  medium  pressure,  55  inches 
inside  listing. 

We  give  the  layout  and  cost  calculations  for  three  fabrics: 

(1)  Medium  grade  single  cloth,  weave  as  Figure  2. 

(2)  A  double  cloth  with  half  double  and  twist  yarns. 

(3)  A  fine  2-40s  worsted  in  black  and  white  yarns. 

Medium  Quality  14-Ounce  Hair  Line. 


Layout: 
1,600  ends 
2  run  warp. 
Right  twist. 
111^/2  reed. 

70"  inside  listing  plus  2"  for  listing 
over  all. 

Filling: 

214   run,  left  twist. 
25  picks. 

Weave  as  Figure  2. 
2"  for  listing. 


72" 


Warp  pattern: 

2.     Black,   2  run,  right  twist. 

2.    I-ight  grey,  2  run,  right  twist. 

Filling  pattern: 

1.  Black,  214   run,  left  twist. 

2.  Light  grey  2%  run,  left  twist. 
1.    Black,  214  run,  left  twist. 


Stock  mixture — Black: 
30<%  fine  medium  wool  d 
70%  good  black  shoddy 

Cost  per  pound  .  . . . 


44c.  . 
p  12c. 


.=  $  .1320 
.=  .0840 

$  .2160 


270 


WOOLEN  AND 


WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


stock  mixture — Light  grey: 

30%  fine  med.  white  wool  @  44c.  = 

30%  white  shoddy  @  30c  = 

40%  good  black  shoddy  @  12c..  = 


$  .1320 
.0900 
.0480 


10  oz.  black  @  $.2160  per  lb.... 
10  oz.  light  grey  @  $.2700  per  lb. 


Cost  per  pound   

CALCULATIONS. 

1,600  ends  2  run  

72  +  25  picks  2%  run  


$  .2700  Manufacturing: 


10%   weaving  take-up 


Loom  weight   

17.16    oz.    yarn    +    15%    waste  allowance 
=   20  oz. 


8.00  oz. 
7.60  oz. 


15.60  oz. 
1.56  oz. 


17.16  oz. 


25  picks  @  $.0150. 
Mill  cost   


$  .1350 
.1700 

$  .3050 


.2625 
$  .5675 


Fine  Hair  Line,  One-Half 


for  listing 


Layout: 

3,200  ends. 
111/2/4  reed. 

691/2"  inside  listing  plus  li 
71"  over  all. 


Warp  Pattern: 

4.    Black  and  white  8  X   8  D.  and  T.,  22 

turns  per  inch,  right  twist. 
4.     Black,    4   run   single,    right  twist. 

Filling  pattern: 

2.     Black,   4  run  single,   right  twist. 
2.    Black  and  white  8    X    8  D.  and  T. 
6%  take-up  in  twisting  yarns. 
Weaving  chain  on   8  harnesses. 
2  harnesses  for  listing. 
Straight  draw. 


Double  and  Twist  Yarns. 

CALCULATIONS. 
1,600    ends    8X8    twist  + 


take-up  =  3.76  runs. 

1,600  ends  4  run  

71"   X   44  picks  =  3,124. 
1,562   threads   8X8  twist 

take-up   

1,562  threads  4  run  


6% 


+  6^ 


Plus  10%  take-up  .  . 

Loom  weight   .  . 

4.25  oz.  twist  warp. 
4.15  oz.  twist  filling. 


4.25  oz. 
4.00  oz. 


4.15  oz. 
3.90  oz. 


16.30  oz. 
1.63  oz. 


17.93  oz. 


Design  No.  1. 


8.40  oz.  -f  10%  waste 
4.00  oz.  black  warp. 
3.90  oz.  black  filling. 


.  =    9.33  oz. 


■  Twist 

■  □■HrDBD  Black 

■■■□■ran  Biack 

□  □■□HDBB  Twist 

■  Twist 

■□■■□□an  Black 

■  ■■□RDDD  Black 


7.90  oz.  +.15%  waste   =    9.30  oz. 

Stock  for  twisting  yarns: 

Fine  picklock  wool  @  68c.  per  lb. 
Stock    lor    black  yarn: 

60%  fine  med.  wool  @  56c  =  $  .3360 

40%  fine  shoddy  @  24c  =  .0960 


Cost  per  pound  

9.33  oz.  twist  @  68c.  per  lb  -- 

9.30  oz.  black  @   $.4320  per  lb..= 


Manufacturing: 

44  picks  @  $.8600. 
Extra   for   twist.  .  . 


$ 

.4320 

=  $ 

.3965 

.2511 

$ 

.6476 

.3784 

,0240 

Layout: 

5,600  ends. 
2/40s  worsted. 
131/2/6  reed. 

69"  inside  listing  plus  1" 
over  all. 

Warp  pattern: 
4.    White  2/40S. 
4.     Black  2/40S. 


Mill  cost   

Fine  Worsted  2x2  Line. 

Filling  pattern: 
2.     Black  2/40S. 
2.     White  2/40S. 
6  6  picks. 


$1.0500 


for  listing  =  70" 


Design  No.  2. 


White 
White 
Black 
Black 
White 
White 
Black 
Black 


Weave  chain: 
Straight  draw. 
8  harness. 

2  harnesses  for  listing. 

CALCULATIONS. 

5,600   ends  2/40s  =  8.00 

70"   X   66  picks   =    6.32  oz. 


Plus   10%  take-up. 


14.31  oz. 
.=    1.43  oz. 


Loom  weight    15.74  oz. 

2/40s    worsted     15%     oz.     -f  6.% 
waste    =    16.75    oz.    @    $1  per 

lb  =  $1.0469 

Manufacturing  cost  and  charges  4620 


Mill  cost    $1.5089 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


271 


In  the  finishing  of  these  hair  line  worsteds  they  are  improved  in  han- 
dle by  giving  the  goods  a  slight  filling.  Goods  should  be  scoured  first  and 
dried  out,  then  examined  for  imperfections,  which  should  be  carefully  re- 
paired. The  goods  are  then  fulled  with  a  good  neutral  soap  for  30  to  50  min- 
utes, or  possibly  longer — it  will  depend  largely  on  conditions.    Dry  at  57 


Fine  Hair  Line,  One-half  Double  and  Twist  Yarn. 

inches.  Steam,  brush  and  shear.  Press  medium  hard,  blowing  steam  on 
face  of  goods.  Keep  on  roll  all  night.  If  this  fabric  is  made  in  double  and 
twist  or  mixture  yarns,  which  will  cost  25  cents  per  pound  more  than  regu- 
lar yarns,  it  would  add  to  the  cost  of  stock  at  least  10  cents  to  12 cents  a 
yard,  but  as  there  would  be  labor  charges  for  dyeing,  winding  and  spooling, 
there  would  be  a  slight  reduction  in  the  manufacturing  cost. 


COVERTS  AND  VENETIANS 

This  cloth  received  its  name  in  England  many  years  ago,  because  it 
was  used  at  one  time  almost  exclusi  vely  as  a  sportsman's  cloth  for  shoot- 
ing coats,  etc.,  its  neutral  tones  of  color  blending  with  the  rocky  ridges  and 
stones,  als  >  with  the  autumn  shades  of  heather,  furze  and  grasses,  making 
it  an  ideal  cloth  for  use  in  the  coverts,  w^hich  is  the  English  term  for  the 
hiding  places  of  the  game  birds.  Hence,  the  name  ''covert  cloth"  was  ap- 
plied  to  this  particular  cloth.  The  cloth  is  now  used  extensively  for  men's 
spring  and  fall  overcoatings,  ladies'  wear  skirts,  suitings  and  cloakings, 
although  the  ladies'  trade  use  more  of  the  single  yarn  coverts  in  mixtures, 
etc.  The  real  covert  cloth  is  always  made  from  double  and  twist  warp 
yarns,  with  single  yarn  fillings,  but,  as  noted  above,  many  cloths  are  called 
coverts  because  they  are  woven  with  the  covert  weave,  but  are  made  of 
single  yarns.  The  so-called  single  yarn  coverts  are  really  Venetians,  and 
are  known  as  such  by  all  manufacturers. 

There  is  always  considerable  latitude  allowed  in  the  trade  regarding 
the  name  or  style  of  a  fabric,  especially  in  the  ladies'  wear,  and  we  can 
find  many  different  fabrics,  all  known  as  coverts  in  the  cloaking  tra-de, 
and  while  most  of  them  have  some  of  the  characteristics  of  coverts,  yet 
they  are  not  the  genuine  covert  as  judged  from  the  woolen  manufacturer's 
point  of  view. 


272 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


There  seems  to  be  a  leaning  at  present  toward  this  one-time  popular 
cloth,  and  it  is  noted  in  the  English  fashion  reports  that  it  is  again 
gaining  in  popularity.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  it  will  once 
more  become  a  leading  fabric  in  this  market,  and  a  brief  outline  on  dif- 
ferent makes  of  Venetian  and  coverts,  with  suggestions  regarding  their 
manufacture  may  not  be  amiss,  as*  we  shall  take  up  yarns  and  weaves 
used  in  a  few  of  the  more  expensive  heavy-weight  English  Venetian  cov- 
erts, with  some  points  in  their  construction  and  manufacture. 


Heavy-Weight  Covert  Cloaking. 

A  heavy-weight  Venetian  covert  cloaking,  with  a  pronounced  whipcord 
effect,  is  made  with  a  15-harness  sateen  weave,  as  shown  in  Design  No.  1. 
This  weave  is  better  adapted  for  fine  yarns  in  mixtures  than  in  the  twist 
yarns.  The  warp  yarn  may  be  in  a  tawn  mixture  shade  or  in  a  khaki 
shade  in  mixture,  while  the  filling  should  be  a  similar  tone  of  color,  but  a 
solid  shade,  that  is,  all  dyed  in  the  stock  and  without  any  admixture  of 
white  or  fancy  colors.  The  weave  is  so  constructed  that  the  filling  yarn 
does  not  show  on  the  face  of  the  goods,  and  almost  any  shade,  s*lmilar  in 
the  general  tone  of  the  warp,  may  be  used  as  a  filling. 

An  excellent  warp  mixture  is  65  per  cent  of  a  light  fawn  wool,  25  per 
cent  white  wool,  5  per  cent  brilliant  green  wool  and  5  per  cent  old  gold 
wool,  spun  to  6  run  right  twist,  with  filling  of  a  solid  fawn  shade,  spun 
to  3  run  right  twist. 

In  making  the  selection  of  wools  for  the  percentages  of  white  and  fancy 
colors  for  this  mixture,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  get  the  best  quality 
of  AA  pulled  wool,  which  will  largely  eliminate  any  danger  of  specks  or 
nibs  in  the  carding.  Unless  the  cards  are  in  first-class  condition,  no  one 
should  attempt  to  make  this  yarn,  as  any  speckledness  in  the  mixture  would 


□□□■□□□LDnnnDDB 
□□■□□□■□□□□□□□a 

o 

□■□□□□□□□□□□■□a  ^ 
□□□□□□□□■□□□■□a 

■□□□□□□□□□□■□□a 
Design  No.  1. 


ruin  the  goods  and  give  them  a  cheap  appearance,  and  no  amount  of  work 
afterward  in  the  finishing  department  will  overcome  any  imperfection  of 
mixture  in  the  carding.  It  is  the  clear,  perfect  mixture  in  the  warp  face 
of  these  goods  which  gives  to  them  the  snappy  character,  and  lifts  the 
cloth  out  of  the  common  run  of  Venetians. 


Layout  for  Design  No.  1: 

5,760  ends. 
72"  wide  in  reed. 
Reed  16.5  in  dent. 
76  picks. 


Warp  yarn: 

6  run,  right  twist. 
Filling  yarn: 

3  run,   right  twist. 

Loom  weight  32  oz. 

Finished  weight  29  oz. 

54"  inside  listing. 


This  cloth  should  be  woven  face  down,  and  the  weave  plan  is  marked 
out  that  way.  Weave  twill  to  right  on  face.  In  finishing  it  should  be  fulled 
in  length  at  least  7  or  8  per  cent,  which  will  cause  it  to  hold  about  5  pei 
cent  shrinkage  in  length  when  finis-hed.    Take  out  of  fulling  mills  at  56i/^ 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


273 


inches  inside  of  lists.  Goods  should  be  woven  with  a  wi-de  special  listing, 
and  goods  should  be  tacked  together  at  listing,  face  of  goods  ins-ide.  This 
tacking  together  of  the  lists  is  necessary  to  prevent  rolling  of  the  lists 
when  fulling.  If  not  tacked,  the  piece  would  roll  up  in  a  rope  the  entire 
length,  and  if  continued  to  run  in  this  condition  in  the  fulling  mill  would 
completely  ruin  the  goods. 

FullLng  and  Scouring. 

After  fulling  and  scouring,  the  goods  s-hould  be  put  on  a  wet  gig,  using 
old  teasels,  giving  a  few  runs,  not  to  cause  a  nap,  but  to  straighten  out 
the  fibres*  on  face,  so  it  will  be  possible  to  get  a  clear,  smart  finish  when 
sheared.  After  giving  it  a  few  runs  on  shears',  reverse  the  piece  end  for 
end,  and  give  it  a  few  runs  at  a  lower  notch,  which  will  give  the  goods  a 
smart,  clean  appearance  and  bring  out  the  whipcord  effsct.  Steam  brush 
well,  press  medium,  giving  a  littlo  steam  on  face  as  the  piece  is  rolled  up. 
Keep  on  roll  for  10  to  12  hours  before  unrolling. 

A  much  neater  design  than  the  foregoing  may  be  made  on 
the  10-harness  sateen,  as  show^n  in  Design  No.  2.  This  weave 
is  also  adapted  more  for  a  fine  mixture  warp  than  for  twist  yarns,  but  it 
could  be  made  in  fine  worsted  in  two-tone  twists.  This  weave  has  al- 
ways been  a  favorite  one  for  ladies'  cloths,  such  as  cloakings  or  coatings. 
It  makes  a  fabric  which  drapes  well,  if  fashion  so  demands  it,  and  at  the 
same  time  it  is  solid  enough  in  texture  to  hold  its  shape  if  made  up  in 
a  close-fitting  garment.  It  is  not  such  a  popular  weave  for  men's  wear, 
unless  a  bold  Venetian  effect  is  wanted. 

The  usual  weave  for  men's  wear  Venetians  is  the  regular  5-harness 
doeskin  weave.  Figure  3,  and  for  men's  wear  coverts,  twist  warps.  Figure  4. 

Figure  3.  Figure  4. 

5  harness  doeskin.  5  harness  covert. 


Layout  for  10  harness  sateen  cloth: 

5.320  ends. 
71"  wide  in  reed. 
15   Reed,   5  in  dent. 
60  picks  per  inch. 

Warp  mixture: 

6  run  yarn,  right  twist. 


Filling-: 

Solid  shade  3  run  yarn,  right  twist. 
Loom  weight   24  oz. 
Finished  weight  20  oz. 
54"  wide. 

Manufacturing  particulars  same  as  the  15 
harness  sateen. 


If  anyone  desires  a  still  lighter  weight  cloth  than  the  above  two  ex- 
amples, 10  and  15  harness,  and  at  the  same  time  retain  a  like  balance 
of  structure,  it  would  be  necessary  to  use  an  8-harness  sateen  weave,  and 
a  finer  spun  filling,  if  if  is  desired  to  make  it  in  woolen  yarns.  For  in- 
stance, if  one  desired  to  make  a  16- ounce  cloth,  but  having  the  same 
balance  of  structure  and  character  as  fabric  No.  2,  a  satisfactory  layout 
would  be  as  follows: 


Layout  for  8  harness  sateen  cloth: 

5,320  ends. 

71"  wide  in  reed. 

Reed  15.5  in  dent. 

54  picks  per  inch.  gBSHnSBS 

□□□'^■□□B 

Warp  mixture: 

6  run  yarn,  right  twist.  ggBSHRSH 

Filling: 

31/2   run  yarn,  right  twist. 
Loom  weight  20  oz. 


Finished  weight  16  oz. 


274 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


These  three  examples  are  good,  high-grade  Venetian  coverts  for  ladies* 
wear,  and  while  they  are  not  difficult  goods  to  make,  it  requires  care  and 
watchfulness  in  selecting  the  right  stock  for  the  warp  mixtures.  As  men- 
tioned before,  the  mixture  must  be  carded  free  from  any  nibs  or  specks, 
and  the  yarns  should  be  smooth,  round  and  level.  Any  roughness  of  the 
yarns  detracts  from  the  sightliness  of  the  goods.  A  manufacturer  would 
express  it  that  the  yarn  should  have  a  ''skin"  to  it,  meaning  smooth  and 
even.  It  is  such  yarns  that  give  beauty  and  character  to  the  goods,  some- 
thing  distinctive  in  itself,  like  that  innate  good  breeding  which  is  the  dis- 
tinctive character  of  a  gentleman. 

It  is  always  more  satisfactory  to  weave  all  of  these  sateen  weaves 
with  the  face  down.  This  is  self-evident,  if  one  will  look  at  the  weave 
chains.  Take  the  15-harness'  sateen.  If  this  was  woven  face  up,  each  warp 
thread  would  be  raised  up  13  times  consecutively,  and  then  down  for  2  picks. 
In  other  words,  13  harnesses  would  have  to  be  raised  up  each  pick,  and  if 
it  was  being  woven  in  an  open  shed  loom  there  would  be  great  danger 
of  warp  threads  floating,  causing  imperfections  in  the  cloth.  These 
weaving  chains  are,  therefore,  made  out  to  weave  face  down. 

Cheap  Attractive  Venetian  Covert. 

A  cheap  and  yet  an  attractive  Venetian  covert  can  be  made  as  a  piece- 
dyed  fabric,  union  mixture.  They  are  made  with  different  percentages  of 
cotton,  but  if  over  30  per  cent  is  used,  the  cloth  will  handle  cottony  and 
hard.  The  cotton  is  mixed  with  the  wool  stock  previous  to  carding,  and  in 
order  to  produce  a  satisfactory  fabric,  free  from  cotton  specks,  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  use  a  double-combed  cotton  stock.  This  will  cost  a 
good  deal  more  than  the  ordinary  carded  cotton,  but  it  is  the  only  safe 
stock  to  use  when  making  this  kind  of  a  fabric.  The  best  carded  or  double- 
carded  cotton  stock  cannot  be  depended  upon,  as  it  will  show  up  most  un- 
expectedly small  specks  after  the  goods  are  dyed,  and  the  darker  the 
shades  of  the  goods  the  more  pronounced  will  be  the  specks.  These  specks 
are  generally  s'O  small  that  they  cannot  be  detected  in  the  yarns,  and  will 
not  show  until  after  dyeing,  the  carding,  spinning  and  weaving  being  all 
done  in  the  white  stock.  The  overseers  and  superintendent,  unless  ex- 
perienced in  such  goods,  would  not  suspect  that  the  yarns  would  s-how 
specky.  The  writer  knows  of  a  case  of  this  kind  where  several  hundred 
pieces  in  process  were  all  more  or  less  specky,  and  it  was  not  known  or 
suspected  until  the  first  pieces  were  dyed. 

These  specks  are  caused  by  the  fact  that  in  carding  very  little  of  the 
short  fibres  of  the  cotton  are  taken  out,  the  object  of  carding  being  to  take 
out  dirt  and  nibs,  and  lay  the  fibres  parallel,  including  both  long  and  short 
staple  fibres.  In  the  process  of  combing  the  cotton  stock,  the  object  is  to 
remove  all  nibs  and  short  fibres,  retaining  only  the  longer  staple,  and  lay 
them  parallel  with  each  other.  Thus  you  will  readily  see  why  the  combed 
cotton  stock  is  the  proper  stock  to  use  in  making  this  fabric. 

If  this  union  mixture  in  Venetian  is  properly  made  and  dyed  into  the 
fashionable  shades  of  costume  cloths,  it  will  compare  very  favorably  in 
appearance  with  the  higher  grades  of  all  wools.  The  yarn  should  be  spun 
soft,  with  just  enough  twist  in  the  warp  yarn  to  insure  good  weaving,  and 
the  filling  yarn  just  twist  enough  to  weave  well. 

Layout  for  piece-dyed  cotton  mix.  Venetian:  Warp- 

4- 000  ends                   "t^     .    P  -c    V.           ,  43/4 'run,    left  twist. 

34  holes;  twist  on  a  Davis  &  Furber  mule. 

Reed   15.4   in    dent.  Filling: 

66  2-3"  inside    list    plus    IV3'"    for    listing  40  picks  per  inch. 

=  68"  over  all.  2%  run  yarn,  left  twist. 
Weave: 

8  harness  doeskin,  straight  draft. 
2  harnesses  for  listing. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


275 


Warp  stock  mixture: 

30%  white  dou.  combed  cotton  @ 

24c.   =  $  .0720 

20%     white    fine    wool    carb.  @ 

54c  =  .1080 

25%  white  fine  noil  carb.  @  42c.  =  .1050 
25%    white    worsted    yarn  waste 

@    88c  =-  .0950 

Cost  per  pound    $  .3800 

Filling  stock  mixture: 

25%  white  carded  cotton  @  16c. =  $  .0400 
20%    white    garnetted    waste  @ 

38c  =  .0760 

30%  white  fine  shoddy  @  30c... =  .090C 
25%   white  light  fawn  shoddy  @ 

20c  =  .0500 

Cost  per  pound    $  .2560 


4,000   ends   4%    run  warp   =  8.42 

oz.    +    10%  take-up   =    9.26  oz. 

68"   X   40  picks  =  1,920. 

1,920    21/8    run    filling   =    1,284  + 

10%    weaving   take-up   =  14.12  oz. 

Loom  weight    23.38  oz. 

9.26  oz.  yarn  warp  -f-  8%  waste 
allowance  =  10  oz.  @  38c.  per 
lb  =  $  .2375 

14.12  yarn  filling  +  15% 
waste  allowance  —  16.6  oz.  @ 
$.2560  per  lb  =  .2656 

$.5031 

Manufacturing  cost: 

40  picks  @   $.0900   =  .3600 

Mill   cost    $.8632 


Full  to  56  Inches  in  width,  inside  list.  Shrink  in  length  to  hold  5 
per  cent  when  finished.  Scour  thoroughly,  using  plenty  of  warm  water  in 
washing  off,  in  order  to  insure  against  any  soap  being  left  in  the  goods. 
It  is  always  a  safe  plan  to  add  a  few  quarts  of  ammonia  to  the  last  scour- 
ing bath,  which  will  quickly  emulsify  any  soap,  and  dlow  of  its  being  read- 
ily washed  out  by  the  warm  water.  After  scouring,  the  goods  are  ready  for 
the  dyeing  process,  and  before  dyeing  the  pieces  should  be  run  in  boiling 
water  with  a  little  ammonia  added  as  a  precautionary  measure  against  any 
possibility  of  soap  or  grease  being  yet  in  the  goods.  Some  soaps  of  the  cheap- 
er grades  are  made  from  impure  ingredients,  and  adulterations  are  ex- 
tremely hard  to  get  washed  out,  and  as  these  cloakings  have  to  be  dyed  into 
many  very  delicate  shades,  tha  slightest  trace  of  any  foreign  matter  in  the 
pieces  will  cause  uneven  dyeing  and  streaky  goods,  and  once  pieces  are  un- 
even or  clouded  in  the  dyeing  it  is  impossible  to  remedy  the  unevenness 
without  first  stripping  off  all  the  color  and  re-dyeing  again.  All  of  this 
costs  time  and  money,  and  besides  the  goods  never  handle  so  well  after- 
wards. Any  stripping  and  re-dyeing  is  always  at  the  expense  of  the  ap- 
pearance and  handle  of  the  goods,  and  prevention  of  the  trouble  is  much 
better  than  correction  afterward,  and,  as  mentioned  above,  a  little  ammo- 
nia added  to  the  last  scouring  bath  will  be  of  great  help  in  thoroughly 
cleansing  the  goods.  The  action  of  ammonia  in  emulsifying  all  fatty  acids 
is  very  strong,  and  is  much  more  rapid  in  its  action  than  either  soda  or 
potash  liquors.  It  has  the  peculiar  property  of  increasing  the  action  of 
other  alkalies  in  scouring  of  woolens  and  when  used  in  the  scouring  process 
will  insure  a  more  thorough  emulsifi  cation  of  all  fatty  acids,  and,  conse- 
quently, a  cleaner  piece  of  goods,  and  level  shades  in  the  dyehouse.  Am- 
monia may  be  used  to  advantage  in  both  finishing  room  and  dyehouse,  with- 
out any  danger  of  injaring  either  goods  or  colors,  provided  reasonable 
care  is  exercised  in  its  use,  and  that  it  is  properly  diluted.  There  are 
several  colors,  however,  which  are  changed  sow e what  by  ammonia  fumes 
or  by  coming  in  contact  with  a  solution  of  ammonia.  For  instance,  acid 
colors,  in  delicate  shades,  are  always  altered  by  ammonia  fumes,  or  on  com- 
ing in  contact  with  any  alkali,  and  goods  dyed  with  acid  color  should  not 
be  allowed  to  come  in  contact  with  any  alkali.  Ammonia  should  not  be 
used  in  the  fulling  mills,  or  in  any  machine  where  it  may  come  in  contact 
-With  brass  or  copper  rolls,  because  a  strong  solution,  when  it  comes  in  con- 
tact wi'h  such  metals,  will  form  at  once  cuprammonia,  and  cause  a  stain 
on  white  or  light  colored  woolen  goods,  which  no  amount  of  washing  will 
remove,  and  as  such  stains  have  a  strong  affinity  l-^r  dyes,  it  will  show  much 


276 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


darker  after  dyeing.  Such  stains  on  this  Venetian  fabric  would  scarcely  be 
noticed  before  dyeing,  but  afterward  will  show  up  quite  distinctly,  and 
cannot  be  removed. 

These  goods  are  dyed  with  wool  dyes,  after  being  given  a  light  chrom- 
ing, such  shades  as  light  and  medium  tones  of  fawn,  light  olive,  khaki 
shades,  light  blues  and  black.  The  mixture  effect  is  caused  by  the  white 
cotton  in  the  stock  mixture,  which  is  not  colored  by  the  wool  dye,  and, 
therefore,  shows  equal  to  a  30  per  cent  white  mixture.  The  fabric  may 
also  be  dyed  into  solid  shades  by  using  union  dyestuffs,  coloring  similai 
shades  as  above,  but  the  fabric  is  not  so  attractive,  as  it  lacks  the  mixture 
effect.  When  colored  in  solid  shades,  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  combed 
cotton  in  the  stock  mixture,  the  ordinary  carded  cotton  being  quite  good 
enough,  as  in  solid  shades  colored  with  union  dyes  there  is  not  any  danger 
of  specks. 

Another   Piece-Dyed,  Cotton    Mixture  Covert. 

Another  piece-dyed,  cotton  mixture  covert  fo'-  ladies'  spring 
and  fall  coatings  is  made  with  a  fine  white  cotton  thread 
twisted  with  another  and  heavier  spun  yarn.  This  yarn  may  also  be  a 
union  mixture,  that  is,  a  mixture  of  cotton  and  wool  carded  and  spun  to- 
gether. The  white  cotton  thread  should  be  much  finer  than  the  union 
mixture  yarn.  If  this  thread  is  heavy  it  will  tnake  the  fabric  look  open 
and  coarse  and  also  gives  a  hard  cottony  handle.  A  good  proportion  would 
be  a  union  mixture  of  30  per  cent  carded  cotton  with  70  per  cent  fine  wool 
rpun  to  4%  run  left  soft  twist — about  19-20  holes  of  twist  on  a  Davis  and 
Furber  mule.  This  yarn  is  twisted  right  twist  with  a  40s  white  cotton 
thread,  18  turns  per  inch.  The  30  per  cent  carded  cotton  is  colored  a  fast 
shade  of  stone  drab  before  being  mixed  in  the  batch,  and  dye  must  be  fast  to 
cross  dyeing.  The  percentage  of  wool  should  be  a  fine  short  staple  grade 
free  from  any  shive  or  burr.  A  good  fall  California  carbonized  and  neutral- 
izedized  is  a  good  wool  to  use,  and  there  can  also  be  a  percentage  of  garnet- 
ted  white  yarn  waste.  This  fabric  requires  a  nice  level  thread,  because  any 
unevenness  will  show  up  very  strong  after  being  twisted  with  the  white 
cotton  thread,  and  as  the  yarns  are  carded,  spun  and  woven,  in  a  very  light 
shade,  any  unevenness  will  not  be  so  easily  detected  until  after  the  goods 
are  dyed  and  finished,  and  as  there  would  naturally  be  many  pieces  in  proc- 
ess, the  loss  would  be  quite  serious  if  much  uneven  yarn  was  allowed  to 
pass.  Hence  the  carding  and  spinning  overseers  must  give  special  atten- 
tion to  the  product  as  it  passes  through  their  respective  departments.  As 
the  yarns  are  quite  fine,  if  properly  prepared  and  carded,  a  spinner 
should  be  able  to  run  two  mules,  say,  600  to  800  spindles  on  piece  work, 
and  get  off  a  good  production  also.  Weavers  should  operate  two  looms  on 
such  work,  which  would  lessen  the  labor  costs  by  at  least  one-third  of  the 
usual  cost  on  regular  goods.  When  getting  ready  to  twist  the  spun  yarn 
with  the  white  cotton  thread,  it  is  usual  to  spool  the  two  yarns  together, 
and  careful  attention  should  be  given  to  the  tension  on  the  several  threads, 
so  that  the  twist  may  be  as  perfect  as  possible.  Twisting  may  be  done  on 
either  mules  or  on  regular  twisting  machines. 

Layout   for   14   oz.   piece-dyed   double  and 
twist  union  covert: 

2,800  ends. 
8.5  reed. 

70"  inside  listing  +   1"  for  listing  =  71" 
over  all. 

Yarns: 

Union  mix  yarn,  4%  run.  left  twist,  soft. 

twisted  with  l/40s  cotton  peeler  combed 

yarn;  twisted  18  turns  per  inch  to  right. 
Draw  straight  on  10  harnesses. 
2  harnesses  for  listing. 


Filling. 

4%  run.  left  twist. 
40  picks. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  277 


CALCULATIONS. 


2,800  ends  4%   run  =  5.88  oz.  + 

6%  twisting  take-up   ==    6.23  oz. 

2,800    ends    l/40s    =    1.33    oz.  + 

10%    twisting-  take-up   =    1.46  oz. 

71"    X    40    picks    =  2,840. 
2,840    -r-    4%    run   filling   =    6.50   oz.  filling. 

6.23    oz.     +     10%  weaving  take- 
up   =    6.85  oz. 

1.46    oz.     +     10%  weaving  take- 
up   =    1.60  oz. 

6.50    oz.     -f-     10%  weaving  take- 
up   =    7.35  oz. 


Loom  weight    15.80  oz. 

Finished  weight  14  oz. 
Warp  and  filling  stock  mixture: 

30%  carded  cotton,  dyed,  @  16c=  $  .0480 
70%  fine  short  wool,  carb.,   @  44c.=  .3080 


$  .3560 


Single  40s  combed  peelers,  on  cones,  40c. 
per  lb. 
6.85  oz.  warp. 
7.35  oz.  filling. 


14.20  oz.  -f.   10%     waste  allowance 
=    15.60  oz.    @    $.3560  per 

lb  =    $  .3471 

1.60  oz.  cotton  -f  3%  waste  allow- 
ance =  1.65  oz.  @  40c. 
per  lb  0412 


$  .3883 

Manufacturing  cost  (2  loom  work): 

40  picks   2400 


Mill   cost    $  .6283 


These  goods  are  fulled  in  the  grease,  giving  them  a  slight  shrinkage 
in  length,  so  they  will  finish  loom  length.  Give  a  thorough  scouring  and 
wash  off  with  plenty  of  warm  water,  using  a  little  ammonia  in  the  last  scour- 
ing to  insure  freedom  from  soap.  Goods  are  now  ready  for  dyeing,  but  pre- 
vious to  dyeing  they  should  be  run  in  boiling  water,  as  recommended  for  the 
cotton  mixture  Venetian  cloth.  Chrome  lightly,  and  dye  to  shade  with 
wool  dyes,  which  have  no  affinity  for  cotton.  The  white  cotton  thread  should 
show  up  clear  white,  as  any  stain  on  this  cotton  thread  caused  by  a  poor  se- 
lection of  dyestuffs  or  improper  handling  in  the  process,  will  give  the  goods 
a  muddy  appearance,  and  detract  from  their  selling  value.  If  the  finishing 
room  is  equipped  with  a  sand  papering  machine  it  will  greatly  improve 
their  appearance  and  handle  if  given  a  few  runs  on  it.  Finish  clear,  press 
medium.    Finish  55  inches  inside  listing. 

To  compete  successfully  in  the  manufacture  of  this  class  of  goods,  the 
mill  should  have  its  own  carbonizing  plant,  so  it  would  be  possible  to  buy 
defective  or  burry  California  wools,  and  do  all  its  own  carbonizing  and  neu- 
tralizing. ;~ 

Men's  Wear,  Fine  All-Wool  Covert.    Double  and  Twist  Warp. 

This  is  the  genuine  covert  cloth  which  was  named  "covert  cloth"  in 
England  many  decades  ago.  This  cloth  is  usually  considered  one  of  the 
hardest  cloths  to  make  perfect,  as  any  imperfection  or  irregularity  in  the 
yarns  before  being  twisted,  and  any  variation  in  the  twist  will  make  a 
streaky  piece  of  goods.  Those  mills  which  have  tried  to  make  this  cloth 
and  failed  to  turn  them  out  satisfactorily,  failed  because  they  did  not  give 
proper  attention  to  the  selection  of  the  proper  wools.  Given  the  proper 
wools  for  making  a  good  level  thread,  and  ordinary  care  exercised  in  the 
details  of  manufacture,  any  well-equipped  mill  should  be  able  to  turn  out 
a  reasonably  perfect  piece  of  twist  covert.  No  mill  should  undertake  to 
make  them  unless  its  card  room  is  well  equipped,  card  machines  well 
clothed,  doffer  rings  in  perfect  condition.  The  mules  should  be  also  in 
good  condition.  No  loose  collars  or  collar-boards.  No  wornout  steps.  Feed 
rolls  should  be  true  and  smooth,  any  creases  will  make  imperfect  yarns. 
Spindles  bands  should  be  renewed,  and  every  endeavor  made  to  get  equal 
tension  on  every  spindle.  Spinners  must  not  be  allowed  to  pick  up  and 
piece  ends  after  the  carriage  is  out,  as  such  would  make  a  heavy  thread 
whenever  it  is  done. 

An  Old  Adage. 

There  is  an  old  adage  in  Yorkshire,  "That  stock  well  carded  is  half 
spun  and  yarns  well  spun  are  half  woven,  while  cloth  well  woven  is 
half  finished,  and  goods  well  finished  are  half  sold."  This  is  quite  true  in  a 
general  sense,  as  any  concern  turning  out  satisfactory  goods,  right  up  in  style, 
f?ibric,  and  finish,  having  few  imperfections  or  allowances,  is  soon  recognized 


278 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


by  the  trade  as  a  dependable  and  satisfactory  concern  to  deal  with,  and 
buyers  will  naturally  seek  to  place  their  orders  with  a  mill  having  a  repu- 
tation for  delivering  satisfactory  goods,  well  finished,  and  practically  free 
from  imperfections  of  weave  or  yarns.  The  above  adage  is  very  applicable 
to  the  manufacture  of  these  twist  coverts.  Stock  well  carded,  that  is, 
free  from  twits,  a  nice  even  roping  will  give  a  round,  smooth  yarn,  that  is 
necessary  to  procure  an  even  twist  for  this  cloth.  The  stock  requires  care- 
ful selection.  For  the  white  yarn  the  wools  should  be  ''pick  lock"  the 
finest  selections  from  XXX  Ohio  or  similar  wools.    The  colored  yarn  may 


14-Cunce  Double  and  Twist  U.nion  Co  vert.  (Piece-Dyed.) 

be  from  the  next  grade,  but  it  is  not  economy  to  lower  the  quality  very 
much.  The  best  is  none  too  good  to  spin  to  7  run  and  10 1/^  ru.i  yarns.  The 
scouring  of  the  wool  and  the  dyeing  requires  careful  attention  and  good 
judgment  on  the  part  of  the  overseer.  The  wool  must  not  be  matted  or 
felted  in  the  slightest,  but  should  come  out  of  the  kettles  as  lofty  and 
open  as  uncolored  stock.  Cold  water  should  not  be  turned  on  the 
stocks  when  washing  off  at  the  dye  kettles,  but  the  change  should  be  grad- 
ual. Run  about  half  the  hot  liquor  off,  then  turn  on  the  cold  water,  which 
will  bring  the  temperature  to  about  130  degrees,  pole  the  stock  in  this 
water,  and  then  run  off.  If  the  stock  is  properly  handled  in  this  depart- 
ment the  carder  should  have  no  trouble  in  getting  good  results,  but  if  the 
stock  is  matted  or  felted  in  the  dyeing,  it  is  practically  impossible  to  ob- 
tain good  results  in  carding,  and  without  good  carding  it  will  be  very  un- 
satisfactory in  succeeding  departments,  and  the  final  result  will  be  dis- 
couraging. 

An  Open  Question. 

Presuming  now  that  the  yarns  are  well  carded,  spun,  and  bobbins  ready 
cOr  twisting.  The  best  method  to  combine  the  two  threads  for  twisting  is 
to  spool  the  yarns  on  separate  spools,  20  threads  to  a  spool.  Some  manu- 
facturers prefer  spooling  the  yarn  on  one  spool,  one  thread  white,  one  thread 
colored,  alternately.  It  is  an  open  question  as  to  which  is  the  better  method, 
but  whatever  method  is  used,  it  is  certainly  the  best  policy  to  spool  the 
yarns  previous  to  twisting,  as  there  is  a  more  even  tension  to  the  threads, 
and  consequently  £  more  even  twist.  After  twisting,  every  bobbin  should 
be  inspected,  and  any  uneven  twisted  bobbins  should  be  sorted  out.  and 
laid  aside.    The  twist  yarns  being  now  ready  for  spooling  previous  to 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


279 


dressing:,  all  guide  and  tension  hooks  should  be  examined,  and  if  any 
hooks  or  guides  are  cut  and  worn,  they  should  be  replaced  as  any  inequal- 
ity in  the  tension  of  the  threads  will  cause  imperfections.  The  reed  in  the 
loom  should  also  be  examined  for  uneven  dents,  as  wide  or  narrow  spaces 
will  cause  streaks  or  reed  marks,  which  cannot  be  overcome  afterwards. 
Examine  carefully  from  weave  room,  mark  all  imperfections  of  weave  or 
yarn,  and  have  them  corrected  by  an  experienced  sewer.'  Goods  may  be 
fulled  in  the  grease,  using  a  good  bodied  soap  free  from  cheap  adultera- 
tions. It  will  take  from  2  to  2^/^  hours  to  full,  it  is  also  necessary  to 
overhaul  the  pieces  during  the  process  of  fulling.  Take  and  snap- out  the 
cloth  to  prevent  mill  wrinkles,  which  are  caused  by  the  goods  running 
continuously  in  the  one  fold.  Goods  should  be  fulled  in  length  at  least  6 
per  cent  or  8  per  cent,  which  will  give  them  a  full  clothy  handle.  After 
scouring,  they  should  be  given  a  wet  gigging  on  old  teasels  or  on  a  fibre 
brush  gig,  and  rolled  up  wet  over  night.  Extract  and  dry  next  day  at  57 
inches  wide.  Shear,  steam,  brush,  press  medium  pressure.  They  may  then 
be  given  a  cold  water  shrink  and  plate  Dressed. 


T^ayout   for   men's   wear   double  and    twist  W^arp  yarns 

yarns:  1  thread  7  run,  left  twist,  dark  shade. 

3,800   ends.  1  thread  101/2   run,  left  twist,  white. 

141^/4    reed.  Twisted   24  turns  per  inch,   right  twist. 

651/2"  inside  listing  plus  1"  for  listing  =  Take-up  in  twisting  8%  =  3.9  runs. 

661/2"  over  all.  CALCULATIONS. 

Draw   straight  on   10   harness.  3,800  ends  3.9  runs  twist  =    9.74  oz. 

2  harnesses  for  listing  66 1/2"    X    54  picks  =   3,591  threads 

Weave   twill   to   right.  7  run  filling   =    5.13  oz. 

54  picks.   

7   run  yarn,  spun  left.  14.87  oz. 

10%   weaving  take-up   =    1.48  oz. 

S5n2n32nSn  Loom  weight    16.35  oz. 

Finished  weight   14  oz. 
16.35    oz.     -f    10%    waste  allow- 
RSSJSRSSSS  ^^^^   =   18  oz.    @   70c.  per  lb., 

■■□■□■■□■S  +   6%  shrinkage   =    $  .8372 

Fine  quality  picklock  wool. 
Manufacturing  costs: 

54  picks  @  $.7600  +  6%  shrink- 
age  4366 

Extra  expense,  fine  spinning  and 
twisting,  IV2C.  per  02.  over  cost 
of  single  yarns   1500 

Mill  cost    $1.4238 

No  mill  should  undertake  to  make  this  class  of  goods  unless  it  is 
equipped  with  more  than  the  ordinary  number  of  cards  as  compared  with 
the  number  of  looms.  As  the  production  from  the  carding  room  of  7  and 
101/^  run  yarns  is  necessarily  slow,  the  ordinary  carding  equipment  would 
not  be  sufficient  to  keep  all  the  looms  running,  hence  lessened  production 
of  woven  goods,  and  consequently  increased  overseers  and  general  charges. 


WOOLEN  NOVELTY  DRESS  GOODS 

The  latest  style  news  from  Paris  that  homespuns,  tweeds  and  coverts  are 
being  worn  by  the  smartest  women  who  attend  the  French  races  is  of 
special  interest  to  sales  agents  and  manufacturers.  The  fabric  illustrated 
here  is  a  Scotch  novelty  dress  goods  very  applicable  to  the  above  sugges- 
tion; also  to  the  combination  suit  which  is  a  coat  of  one  design  or  fab- 
ric and  a  skirt  of  another,  such  as  a  black  worsted  cheviot,  with  a  skirt  of 
a  plaid  pattern  in  tartan  colorings.  This  novelty  combines  the  homespun 
fabric  with  the  fancy  tartan  colorings,  and  is  a  very  effective  novelty. 
This  fabric,  so  far  as  the  writer  kno  ws,  is  not  yet  placed  on  this  market, 
and  there  is  a  good  opportunity  for  domestic  mills  to  get  out  a  similar 
cloth  for  the  dress  goods  trade. 


280  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  yarns  are  heavy  and  somewhat  uneven,  made  from  a  coarse  wool 
for  the  dark  stock,  while  the  fancy  color  is  made  from  a  medium  fine  wool. 
The  yarns  are  in  two  tones  of  color,  but  instead  of  being  a  mixture,  the 
color  comes  on  the  thread  as  an  elongated  slub  or  blotch.  There  are  about 
three  inches  of  a  black  ground  thread  and  then  about        to  2  inches  of 


Yarns  Used  For  the  Scotch  Novelty  Dress  Goods, 

a  white  or  fancy  colored  slubbing  twisted  into  or  around  the  black  ground 
thread,  which  gives,  when  woven  into  the  cloth  with  various  color  combi- 
nations, a  very  rich  and  striking  appearance.  The  cloth  is  plain  weave, 
having  few  ends  and  picks  per  inch. 

The  Colorings. 

The  colorings  so  far  as  shown  ar©  in  the  following  combinations  and 
patterns,  but  other  patterns  can  be  made  by  using  ordinary  dark  shades  of 
yarn  without  any  blotch  effect  as  a  ground  cloth,  and  using  the  fancy  blotch 
yarn  to  form  patterns,  a  cloth  dressed  and  woven  four  threads  black  ordi- 
nary yarn,  four  threads  fancy  blotch  yarns,  both  warp  and  filling,  would 
show  up  effectively.  Other  and  larger  plaid  effects  could  also  be  made.  In 
fact,  there  is  no  limit  to  exploiting  this  novelty  yarn,  as  indicated  in  the  ac- 
companying table: 

A  Few  Coloring  Combinations: 

WARP.  FILLING. 
All  black  and  white  Blotch.  All  black  and  white  Blotch. 

All  brown  and  white  Blotch.  All  brown  and  white  Blotch. 

S  2.    Black  and  Tartan  blue  Blotch.  J  2.     Black  and  Tartan  Green  Blotch. 

1 2.    Black  and  old  gold  Blotch.  1  2.    Maroon    and    crimson  Blotch. 

S  2.    Black  and   white   Blotch.  S  2.     Black  and  Tartan  Green  Blotch. 

X  2.    Black  and  old  gold  Blotch.  1  2.    Maroon    and    crimson  Blotch. 

All  black  and  white  Blotch.  S  2.     Black  and  white  Blotch. 

^2.    Black  and  white  Blotch.  I  2.     Black  and  old  gold  Blotch. 


2.    Black  and  old  gold  Blotch.  S  2.    Black  and  Tartan  blue  Blotch. 

2.    Black  and  Tartan  blue  Blotch.  1 2.     Black  and  Tartan  green  Blotch. 


} 

I  2.    Black  and  Tartan  green  Blotch. 

All  these  colorings  show  up  very  effectively;  they  are  bright  and 
snappy,  especially  the  combinations  of  fancy  Scotch  tartan  colors.  Some 
manufacturers  may  think  that  these  novelty  yarns  are  difficult  to  make,  and 
require  expensive  attachments  for  the  cards.  A  few  attachments  are,  of 
course,  necessary,  but  they  can  all  be  made  by  an  ordinary  mill  master 
mechanic.  The  overseer  of  carding  can  generally  plan  out  the  necessary 
details  of  work  to  produce  these  novelties  once  he  is  supplied  with  the 
idea  of  how  to  go  about  it.  The  stock  for  these  yarns  is  prepared  and 
picked  as  any  ordinary  lot  of  stock — that  is,  the  dark  shades  or  ground 
work  of  the  thread — and  is  put  through  the  first  and  second  breaker 
cards  the  same  as  a  regular  lot,  and  all  the  novelty  effect  is  added  at 
the  finisher  card.  Over  the  finisher  card  there  is  erected  a  framework  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  a  special  spool,  made  the  full  width  of  the  card, 
and  if  the  card  is  taking  off  20  ends  each  spool — 2  spool  card — this  special 
spool  is  filled  with  40  ends  of  heavy  slubbing  or  roving  of  any  fancy  color 
which  is  desired  to  be  placed  onto  the  ground  thread  in  the  form  of  a 
blotch.    (The  wool  of  this  blotch  is  a     finer     grade   than   the  groun<i 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


281 


thread.)  The  special  spool  la  made  to  revolve  slowly  by  any  suit- 
able drive  from  a  worker  shaft  or  feed  roll,  and  there  is  placed  under- 
neath this  spool  another  roll  covered  with  narrow  strips  of  card  clothing, 
placed  so  that  they  will  catch  the  slubbing  as  it  is  delivered  and  transfer 
it  to  the  last  worker  of  the  card. 

This  roll  also  turns  slowly,  and  between  it  and  the  slubbing  spool  there 
are  feed  rolls  which  carry  the  slubbing  and  prevent  the  small  roll  from 
bearing  off  irregular  lengths  of  the  slubbing.  Any  master  mechanic  can 
easily  arrange  the  speed  movement  and  the  necessary  mechanism  to  con- 
vey the  slubbing  from  the  spool  through  the  feed  rolls  to  the  second  roll, 
having  the  strip  of  card  clothing,  so  that  the  fancy  colored  slubbing  will 
be  deposited  regularly  on  the  last  worker,  and  from  there  to  cylinder  and 
doffer  rings. 

Careful  measurements  are  necessary  to  make  sure  that  the  slubbing 
will  be  delivered  about  the  centre  of  each  doffer  ring.  If  it  happened  to  be 
deposited  on  the  cylinder  in  such  a  way  that  it  would  be  at  the  edge  of  the 
ring,  the  chances  would  be  that  the  top  doffer  would  get  more  of  its  share 
of  blotch  slubbing  and  the  bottom  doffer  would  be  minus  its  share.  Any 
master  mechanic  in  co-operation  with  the  carding  overseer  should  be  able 
to  plan  out  this  appliance  and  have  it  in  successful  operation  in  a  few 
days  of  experimenting  and  work. 

Another  Method. 

Another  method  of  making  blotchy  yarns  is  to  pick  and  card  the  colors 
separately  until  the  stock  is  through  the  second  breaker  card,  and  in  the 
form  of  heavy  slubbing  wound  on  the  old  style  side  drawing  rolls.  The 
Apperly  feed  will  have  to  be  taken  off  the  finisher  card  and  replaced  with 
a  creel  or  spool  stand  to  hold  at  least  40  spools  if  the  card  is  taking  off 
2  twpntv-end  roving  spools. 

It  is  necessary  also  to  make  a  glide  to  be  placed  close  before  the 
feed  rolls.  This  guide  is  made  with  a  solid  hardwood  base,  having  small 
upright  pieces  of  wood,  dovetailed  into  the  base,  and  so  arranged  that  the 
space  between  these  guides  will  come  exactly  in  line  with  the  centre  of 
the  doffer  rings.  This  guide  may  be  likened  to  a  huge  comb,  having  about 
Ih  inches  space  between  each  tooth.  It  is  quite  a  bit  of  work  to  get  this 
guide  board  properly  spaced.  The  simplest  way  is  first  be  sure  your  dof- 
fer rings  are  placed  correctly,  and  properly  spaced  to  cover  the  cylinder. 
Then  take  the  base  of  guide  and  place  it  in  front  of  top  doffer,  and  close 
to  the  wire,  and  mark  on  it  the  exact  space  of  each  top  doffer  ring.  Then 
do  the  same  with  the  bottom  doffer.  If  this  is  done  correctly,  it  will  be  a 
comparatively  easy  operation  to  dovetail  the  guide  fingers  in  their  proper 
places,  so  that  the  space  between  eaf^.h  finger  guide  will  correspond  to  the 
centre  of  the  doffer  rings. 

The  side  drawing  spools  are  then  placed  in  the  creel  stand  in  alternate 
colors,  each  color  having  a  space  of  its  own  in  the  guide,  and  if  the  guide 
is  correctly  made  and  placed  properly  in  front  of  the  feed  rolls,  the  top 
doffer  will  take  practically  all  of  one  color,  and  the  bottom  doffer  will  take 
the  other  color.  Now  to  get  the  blotch  or  mottled  effect,  the  doffers  are 
caused  to  vibrate  endways  by  a  vibrating  motion  which  can  be  bought 
from  any  maker  of  cards,  or  can  be  in  ide  in  any  machine  shop  at  slight  ex- 
pense. Suppose  you  have  one  side  drawing  of  black  and  one  of  white 
placed  alternately  in  the  guide,  the  ton  doffer  black  and  bottom  -doffer  white. 
^^o^r  vibrate  the  doffp^-s  the  width  of  the  rings  and  you  will  see  the  mot- 
tled roving  at  once.  The  top  doffer  will  move  over  and  strip  off  the  white 
stock  for  an  instant,  then  move  back  to  the  black,  both  doffers  acting  to- 
gether, thus  giving  a  continuous  delivery  of  black  and  white  roving 
ready  for  spinning  into  yarn.  This  method  will  make  a  very  fine  mottled 
yarn,  similar  in  appearance  to  the  first-mentioned  method,  but  th .  cut- 
off from  one  color  to  the  other  is  not  so  pronounced,  as,  by  the  movement 


282 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


of  the  doffers,  the  two  colors  intermingle  first,  and  the  yarn  will  show  for 
an  inch  or  so  a  black  and  white  mottled  effect.  Then  as  the  doffers  move 
over  to  the  full  width  of  the  traverse  movement,  the  yarn  will  show  al- 
most all  white,  and  as  the  doffers  begin  the  backward  movement  the  col- 
ors will  again  mingle  into  a  mottled  effect.  Then  all  black  will  follow. 
In  the  first-mentioned  process  the  blotch  color  is  deposited  where  it  has 
little  chance  to  get  mixed  up  by  the  card  with  the  ground  color,  and  the 
blotch  is,  therefore,  more  pronounced  in  effect. 

Mock  Twist. 

Very  rich  novelty  yarns  can  be  made  by  this  second  method  by  moving 
the  feed  guide,  so  that  each  strand  or  color  will  split  on  the  rings  and 
^ach  doffer  ring  will  carry  half  of  each  color,  making  what  is  called  mock 
twist.  It  has  every  appearance  of  twist  yarn,  but  the  tone  is  softened,  the 
fibres  of  the  two  colors  blending  together,  and  not  showing  the  same  defi- 
nite sharpness  of  outline  which  distinguishes  real  twist  yarns. 

In  the  manufacture  of  this  mock  twist  the  doffers  are  run  in  the  usual 
way.  No  vibration  or  traverse  movement,  but  they  are  given  an  intermit- 
tent motion,  which  makes  bunches  or  blotches  on  the  roping,  which  after 
being  spun  show  up  in  very  striking  effects.  This  blotchy  effect  may  also 
be  produced  by  an  intermittent  feeding  arrangement,  whereby  the  feed  rolls 


-         t     Scotch  Novelty  Dress  Goods. 

are  stopped  for  a  brief  period,  and  then  started  again.  This  has  been  ac- 
complished by  breaking  out  one  or  more  teeth  in  the  driving  gear  operat- 
ing the  feed  rolls.  The  same  effect  has  been  produced  by  pulling  wires  out 
of  the  doffer  rings.  This  is  rather  expensive  unless  you  have  an  old  set  of 
rings,  which  are  good  enough  for  this  work. 

Pull  out  the  wires  on  each  edge  of  the  rings  for  an  inch  or  more,  leav- 
ing a  narrow  strip  of  wire  in  the  centre,  then  leave  above  the  same  spa'^e 
of  the  ring  the  full  width,  and  pulloutas  before  another  inch,  and  so  on  un- 
til that  ring  is  completed.  Do  the  same  with  all  the  rings  of  that  doffer. 
The  other  doffer  rings  are  done  the  same,  but  the  doffers  have  to  be  so  set 
in  reference  to  each  other  that  the  wide  space  in  the  rings  of  one  doffer 
will  lap  over  the  narrow  space  of  the  other.  This  is 
necessary,  as  otherwise  the  card  cylinder  would  not  be  kept  clear,  and  the 
result  would  be  a  discouraging  mess.  These  suggestions  will  be  sufficient  to 
show  any  carder  how  he  can  produce  many  novelties  in  yarns,  and  it  is 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


2S3 


always  the  mill  and  the  man  behind  it  which  keeps  in  the  front  rank 
by  getting  out  new  ideas  that  attract  the  bp  vers,  who  in  turn  keep  the 
spindles  and  looms  busy. 

There  are  many  other  novelties  in  yarns  an.,  mixtures  that  may  be  pro- 
duced in  the  card  room,  and  which  will  be  taken  up  later  in  another  ar- 
ticle treating  on  other  fabrics.  These  novelty  yarns  are  not  confined  to 
dress  goods,  but  are  equally  applicable  to  men's  wear  and  boys'  suitings, 
but,  of  course,  the  colorings  would  have  to  be  made  in  suitable  combina- 
tions for  that  trade. 


Layout: 
900  ends. 

1  y2    run   warp,    Blotch  yarn. 
Reed  6i^/2. 

69"   inside   listing   plus   1"   for   listing  = 

70"  over  all. 
Plain  weave. 
16  picks  per  inch. 

Warp: 

1 run,   right  twist. 

Filling: 

IV^   run,  right  twist. 

900  ends  1  y2  run   =    6.00  oz. 

70  X   16  =  1,120  —  11^  run...=    7.40  oz. 


Stock  mixture: 

60%  coarse  wool  for  ground  shade  @  35c. 
per  lb. 

40%  medium  fine  wool  for  Blotch  @  54c. 
per  lb. 

Cost  per   lb.,    in   blend,  48c. 

CALCULATION. 

14.74  oz.  ex.  loom  +  15%  waste  al- 
lowance  =    17.3  oz. 

17.3  oz.   @  3c.  per  oz  =  $  .519 

Manufacturing  cost: 

16   picks   (w   IVsC  =  .180 

Mill   cost    $  .699 


13.40  oz. 

Plus  10%   weaving  take-up....  =    1.34  oz. 


Loom   weight    14.74  oz. 

Finished  weight,  12  oz. 

In  the  spinning  of  these  novelty  yarns  it  will  be  necessary  to  allow 
at  least  2-3  draft.  Yarns  are  spun  fairly  hard  twist  to  give  the  crisp 
handle  to  the  goods.  When  burling  the  pieces  do  not  break  or  curl  off  the 
knots,  but  pull  them  through  onto  the  back  and  leave  them  on  until  after 
the  pieces  are  fulled,  scoured  and  dry.  Full  to  hold  woven  length,  but  do 
not  hair  up  or  felt.  Take  out  at  56  inches  in  width.  Scour  dry  at  57  inches. 
Back  burl,  taking  off  all  the  knots.  Shear  off  any  long  and  straggling  hairs. 
Press  firm.    Goods  to  finish  54  inches  inside  lists. 


COTTON  MIXED  CASSIMERES 

In  these  days  of  keen  competition  manufacturers  are  compelled  to 
devise  all  sorts  of  combinations  of  stock  in  order  to  produce  cheap  goods, 
and  by  skilful  manipulation  in  the  blending  of  the  different  grades  en- 
deavor to  make  the  cloth  appear  of  a  much  better  quality  than  it  really  is. 
Cheap  goods  and  adulterations  of  stock  always  go  hand  in  hand; 
they  are  inseparable,  one  being  the  cause  of  the  other. 
For  some  years  past  there  has  been  a  persistent  cry  in  the  trade  for 
something  cheap,  and  the  manufacturers  have  been  forced  into  striving 
to  see  who  can  make  the  cheapest  and  most  attractive  goods  at  a  price, 
and  while  the  trade  and  the  public  have  demanded  cheap  goods,  they  al- 
so call  for  style  and  fabric. 

If  anyone  has  the  idea  that  goods,  if  cheap  enough,  will  -sell  irrespec- 
tive of  style,  let  them  try  offering  goods  a  little  off  the  popular  trend  of 
colorings  and  fabric,  and  they  will  quickly  learn  that  goods,  however 
cheap,  must  possess  attractiveness  in  both  style  and  colors.  There  are 
always  many  grades  of  cheap  goods  on  the  market.  For  instance,  cot- 
ton warps  with  an  extremely  low-grade  shoddy  filling,  also  all  shoddy 
goods,  which  are  usually  tender  and  of  poor  weaving  qualities.  Experi- 
ence has  proved,  and  again  will  prove,  that  goods  of  an  extremely  low 
grade  are  a  poor  investment  for  the  consumer. 


284 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  English  manufacturers  in  Yorkshire,  the  home  of  the  shoddy 
goods,  can  give  our  manufacturers  points  in  the  putting  together  of  ex- 
tremely low-grade  woolens.  They  have  special  facilities  for  turning  out 
such  goods,  at  a  far  less  proportionate  expense  than  the  American  manu- 
facturer, so  much  so  that  they  coul-dtake  the  refuse  that  is  usually  thrown 
out  by  the  domestic  mills,  and  make  it  up  into  attractive  goods,  and  the 
present  prospects  are  that  our  markets  will  be  flooded  with  this  worthless 
shoddy  goods,  which,  instead  of  being  of  any  aid  to  clothing  the  working 
man  will  be  a  great  -detriment. 

In  Yorkshire  they  can  take  such  low-grade  sweepings  and  mill  fly  in 
combination  with  the  cheapest  of  mungo  that  the  resultant  thread  is  so 
poor  that  it  cannot  be  woven  unle&s  there  is  a  fine  cotton  thread  twisted 
around  it  to  hold  the  short  fibres  together  Yet  this  cloth  is  sightly,  it 
handles  well,  is  made  up  in  attractive  mixtures,  and  looks  stylish  enough 
to  deceive  the  elect.  To  keep  out  this  showy  but  worthless  class  of 
goods  by  any  means  would  be  doing  no  injustice  to  anyone,  even  from 
the  consumer's  point  of  view. 

The  Fabric  Illustrated. 

The  fabric  we  have  here  illustrated  is  not  a  low-grade  shoddy  cloth, 
lacking  both  in  strength  and  wearing  qualities,  but  a  fabric  made  out  of 
good,  strong  fibres,  well  constructed,  and  which  will  wear  as  long  as  an 
all-wool  piece  of  goods,  although  it  may  not  retain  its  attractiveness  so 
long  as  an  all-wool  cloth,  owing  to  the  percentage  of  cotton  in  the  mixture. 
The  colors  are  not  so  fast,  but,  compared  with  an  all-wool  of  similar  con- 
struction, this  cloth,  as  it  is  placed  on  the  market,  is  not  any  injustice  to 
the  consumer,  but  rather  the  reverse,  giving  him  an  attractive  and  service- 
able suiting  at  a  low  cost. 

There  are  several  fibres  with  which  the  manufacturer  may  adulterate 
his  goods  in  order  to  reduce  the  cost  of  the  stock,  but  the  fibre  that  is  in 
greatest  use  to-day  is  that  of  the  cotton  plant,  which  plays  an  important 
part  in  tlie  manufacture  of  cheap  cassimeres,  dress  goods,  fiannels  and 
overcoatings,  not  only  in  fancy  goods  but  in  piece  dyes,  even  worsted 
cloths,  which  are  generally  supposed  to  be  made  out  of  long-stapled  wools, 
are  in  the  cheaper  grades  adulterated  with  cotton.  Cotton  is  usually  about 
one-fourth  the  cost  of  wool,  and  can  always  be  procured  in  any  quantity. 
It  is  a  clean,  strong  fibre,  and  in  the  right  proportions  will  always  give  a 
good,  serviceable  cloth.  There  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  exists  in  the  minds 
of  the  consumers  that  a  percentage  of  cotton  mixed  with  the  wool  and 
shoddy  detracts  very  much  from  the  wearing  quality  of  the  goods,  and 
should  therefore  be  avoided. 

No  doubt  this  idea  originated  from  dealers  and  salesmen  advertising 
their  goods  as  **free  from  cotton  and  guaranteed  to  boil  out,"  thus  put- 
ting a  ban  on  cotton  mixed  goods,  while,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  many  of  the 
cheap  goods  "warranted  to  boil  out"  are  not  such  good  value  for  the  con- 
sumer as  a  cotton  mixed  piece.  This  is  well  known  to  manufacturers 
and  to  most  of  the  clothing  dealers,  and  many  dealers  who  formerly  would 
not  handle  cotton  mixed  cloths  are  now  doing  so,  and  even  give  them  the 
preference  over  a  low  grade  of  shoddy  goods,  as  they  have  recognized  the 
fact  that  cotton  mixed  goods  are  stronger  and  give  better  service  than 
the  latter  grade. 

In  the  successful  working  cf  cotton  and  wool  mixtures  a  great  deal 
depends  upon  the  preparation  and  blending  before  the  operation  of  card- 
ing. If  the  mixture  has  been  imperfectly  prepared  and  blended,  no 
amount  of  skill  in  the  carding  can  produce  a  nice  clear  yarn.  Different 
men  may,  of  course,  employ  different  methods  to  bring  the  same  results, 
and  while  giving  the  following  methods  of  preparing  and  blending  the  stocks, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


285 


the  writer  does  not  mean  to  assert  that  his  method  is  the  only  prop- 
er and  correct  way  of  preparing  such  mixtures. 

In  the  first  place,  a  good  staple  cotton,  the  coarser  the  fibre  the  bet- 
ter, is  the  best  for  fine  mixtures,  especially  if  it  goes  into  any  fancy  mix- 
ture where  there  is  danger  of  specks  showing  in  the  goods.  A  good  qual- 
ity of  carded  cotton  is  none  too  good  for  such  mixtures,  but  for  solid 
colors,  as  white,  slates,  blacks,  brown,  etc.,  it  is  quite  safe  to  use  a  good 
grade  of  peeler  comber  waste,  free  from  nibs.  This  is  as  good  as  card- 
ed cotton  for  such  goods,  and  can  be  bought  for  about  10  per  cent  less 
than  the  price  of  raw  cotton.  Good  results  can  generally  be  obtained  by 
using  about  10  per  cent  of  a  good  staple  wool  in  the  blend,  which  helps 
to  carry  the  cotton  and  shoddy,  if  any,  and  for  the  balance  it  is  best  to 
select  a  short  staple  wool  or  noil,  free  from  burr.  Carbonized  wools  are 
the  best  to  use.  The  small  percentage  of  good  staple  wool  will  give  good 
results  in  carding  and  spinning,  as  it  knits  together  the  short  fibres  and 
gives  a  larger  production  with  less  waste  in  manufacturing.  There  will 
be  fewer  "break  downs"  in  the  side  drawings  in  card  room  and  much 
less  "piecing  up"  in  spinning,  which,  of  course,  will  increase  the  produc- 
tion but  will  also  make  a  more  perfect  thread,  and,  consequently,  fewer  im- 
perfections and  allowances  in  the  finished  cloth.  The  short  wool  and 
noils  used  in  the  blend  have  more  points  or  ends  than  long  wool,  and 
those  points  are  brought  to  the  surface  in  the  process  of  finishing,  and  give 
the  cloth  a  softer  and  more  woolly  handle. 

Preparing  and  Blending. 

Much  of  the  success  of  our  best  manufacturers  is  the  result  of  the 
care  and  intelligence  displayed  in  the  cleaning  and  mixing  of  the  stocks 
and  the  selection  of  the  stocks  used.  This  applies  to  the  high-grade, 
fine  woolens  equally  as  much  as  to  the  low-grade  cotton  and  shoddy  mix- 
tures. A  good  burr  picker  is  an  absolute  necessity.  It  was  formerly 
thought  that  a  burr  picker  was  only  necessary  to  clean  burry  wools,  but 
it  is  a  necessary  adjunct  to  evBjry  picker  room  on  all  kinds  of  stocks, 
as  by  its  use  the  stock  is  thoroughly  opened  and  cleaned,  for  there  is  a 
strong  suction  fan  attached  to  all  burr  pickers,  which  will  draw  out  all 
dust,  dyestuffs,  etc.,  leaving  the  stock  clean  and  open  for  subsequent  op- 
erations. 

If  the  shade  of  mixture  allows  for  it,  the  cotton  should  be  dyed  to  the 
predominating  shade  of  dark  color  of  the  mixture,  as  dyed  cotton  will  not 
show  up  so  strongly  in  a  fabric  as  undyed  raw  cotton.  For  white  and  light 
shades,  where  it  is  necessary  to  use  white  cotton,  better  results  can  be 
obtained  by  coloring  a  proportion  of  the  cotton  a  bluish  stain,  which  should 
be  fast  to  a  moderate  fulling.  This  gives  the  color  a  softer  effect,  more 
like  a  wool  white,  as  a  large  percentage  of  white  cotton  in  any  mixture 
always  gives  an  unnatural  whiteness  to  the  goods,  showing  even  to  the 
inexperienced  purchaser  that  it  contains  a  large  percentage  of  cotton. 
Using  10  or  15  per  cent  of  this  bluish  stain  will  overcome  the  cottony 
whiteness  and  greatly  improve  the  appearance  of  the  goods. 

In  many  grey  mixtures,  such  as  flannels,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  use 
a  percentage  of  a  dark  blue  wool  or  shoddy  along  with  the  black,  which 
will  brighten  up  the  shade,  and  at  the  same  time,  counteract  the  tendency 
of  black  cotton  to  turn  a  rusty  or  a  greenish  shade  on  continued  exposure. 
In  the  darker  fancy  mixtures  the  best  results  can  be  obtained  by  dyeing 
the  cotton  to  the  darker  colors  in  the  mixture,  and  where  there  are  small 
percentages  of  fancy  shades  always  dye  them  from  the  wool  or  shoddy,  as 
the  wool  fibres  will  show  on  the  face,  because  in  the  process  of  fulling, 
the  wool  fibres  naturally  work  to  the  surface  and  show  up  effectively, 
whereas  in  cotton  a  small  percentage  of  a  fancy  shade  would  be  dead  and 
lustreless. 


286 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


All  dyed  cotton  should  be  run  through  the  burr  picker,  which  will 
clean  it  well  and  open  up  all  lumps,  making  it  free  and  in  an  open  condi- 
tion for  mixing  evenly  with  the  wool.  In  blending  the  mixture  previous 
to  running  it  through  the  mixing  picker,  place  a  layer  of  the  cotton  first 
on  the  floor,  then  a  layer  of  shoddy,  then  a  layer  of  wool.  This  will  allow 
of  the  oil  emulsion  being  sprinkled  on  the  wool  with  little  chance  of  any 
oil  getting  onto  the  cotton.  Beat  the  emulsion  well  into  the  wool  with  a 
long  stick  or  a  heavy  bamboo  rod.  Continue  laying  the  blends  down  as 
mentioned  until  the  entire  batch  is  down,  care  being  taken  that  none  of 
the  emulsion  gets  onto  the  layer  of  cotton,  because  if  it  gets  wet  it  is  im- 
possible to  card  it  out  clear.  Wet  cotton  is  sure  to  card  into  small  specks. 
Run  the  batch  three  times  through  the  mixing  picker,  and  in  order  to 
insure  an  even  mixture  some  one  should  mix  the  stock  in  the  bin  as  it  is 
delivered  from  the  picker,  as  the  lighter  cotton  fibres  will  tend  to  sep- 
arate from  the  heavy  shoddy  and  wool.  It  requires  constant  care  to  get 
an  even  mixture  in  such  a  combinatic  n  of  stock. 

Carding. 

No  definite  rules  can  be  given  here  about  setting  the  machine,  as  so 
much  depends  upon  the  stock  and  condition  of  the  cards  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  lay  down  set  rules  to  govern  the  carding  of  these  mixtures.  The 
most  important  points  are  to  see  that  the  cylinders  and  workers  are  work- 
ing true  in  relation  to  each  other,  to  keep  the  wire  well  up,  having  a 
good,  clean  point,  setting  lAl  parts  sufficiently  close  to  comb  the  stock  out 
gradually  without  breaking  it,  and  as  the  stock  proceeds  forward  in  the 
mxachines  the  v/orkeri^:  may  be  set  closer  to  the  cylinder  in  order  to  make 
a  good,  clean  roping.  Run  the  fancy  close  to  keep  the  cylinder  clear  and 
sharp,  and  if  it  throws  too  much  fly  reduce  the  speed  or  give  the  wire 
less  pitch.  Another  thing  to  note  in  the  carding  of  cotton  mixes  is  that 
the  cotton  fiores  will  take  the  point  off  the  wire  more  quickly  than  an  all 
wool,  and  there  is  also  more  danger  of  a  hook  being  made  on  the  wire, 
caused  by  the  cotton  cutting  a  small  crease  on  the  wire  just  underneath 
the  point.  Unless  this  is  noticed  it  will  make  poor  carding  and  imper- 
fect roping. 

The  temperature  of  the  room  is  also  of  importance  in  carding  cotton 
mixtures.  If  the  room  is  cold  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  get  good  results, 
as  a  cold  room  generates  more  electricity  in  the  stock,  and  every  carder 
knows  the  trouble  it  causes,  especially  in  the  finished  card.  A  warm,  hu- 
mid atmosphere  is  always  best,  and  the  temperature  should  run  75  de 
grees  at  least. 

Spinning. 

To  a  casual  observer  it  would  not  seem  of  much  importance  how  the 
thread  is  drawn  in  spinning,  but  all  practical  and  experienced  manufac- 
turers know  that  it  is  of  paramount  importance.  In  the  manufacture  of 
fine  woolens  and  close  finished  goods  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  smooth, 
clean  and  strong  yarn,  having  a  "skin"  to  it  Every  spinner  knows  how 
to  accomplish  this,  and  he  should  always  draw  such  yarns  accordingly. 
This  will  lay  all  the  fibres  parallel  with  each  other,  giving  a  smooth  skin 
to  the  yarn,  but  in  the  manufacture  of  cotton  mix  yarns  a  soft  and  fuzzy 
yarn  is  required,  therefore,  the  roping  is  made  finer  at  the  cards,  so  that 
the  yarns  may  be  spun  to  the  required  size  without  being  drawn  too 
much.  It  just  needs  sufficient  drawing  to  straighten  out  the  short  cotton 
fibres,  which  will  lie  more  to  the  centre  of  the  thread,  while  the  wool,  not 
being  drawn  to  its  full  stretch,  is  by  the  centrifugal  force  thrown  out  to- 
ward the  outside  of  the  thread.  This  will  give  the  fleecy  character  of 
varn,  so  necessary  to  the  successful  manufacture  of  cotton  mix  goods. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


287 


and  cloth  made  from  yarns  so  treated  in  spinning  will  handle  50  per  cent 
better  than  goods  made  from  yarns  which  have  been  drawn  to  the  full 
stretch. 

This  is  an  important  point  and  worthy  of  close  attention  by  every  man- 
ufacturer, whether  running  on  cotton  mixes  or  fine  all  wools.  The  va- 
rious fabrics  and  finishes  require  different  handling  of  the  yarns,  in  or- 
der to  insure  a  perfect  finish  and  the  best  goods.  A  little  experimental 
work  will  soon  determine  the  accurate  amount  of  drawing  and  twist  to 
put  into  yarns  for  different  fabrics  and  stock  mixtures. 

It  is  also  of  importance  not  to  twist  cotton  mix  yarns  too  hard,  as 
the  cotton  fibre  takes  the  twist  more  quickly  and  will  make  a  hard,  wiry 
thread,  if  too  much  twist  is  put  in.  Twist  warp  yarns  just  enough  so  that 
they  will  weave  well  and  filling  yarn  with  enough  twist  to  follow  the 
shuttle  without  breaking.  A  well-known  superintendent,  experienced  in 
the  manufacture  of  this  class  of  goods  says  **he  puts  in  as  little  twist  in 
his  yarns  as  he  dares  to,"  and  then  instructs  the  spinner  to  take  out  one 
hole  of  twist,  by  this  method  he  is  always  sure  of  getting  the  yarns  spun 
soft  enough. 

Weaving. 

In  the  weaving  department,  or  perhaps  more  properly  in  the  designing 
department,  considerable  experience  is  necessary  on  this  class  of  goods  in 
order  to  lay  them  the  correct  width  in  the  reed  to  .^et  the  best  results 
in  fabric  and  finish.  If  the  goods  are  too  wide,  necessitating  long  fulling, 
they  will  finish  up  hard  and  board y,  and  if  too  narrow,  they  will  look 
raw  and  cottony.  No  definite  rule  can  be  laid  down  as  to  the  proper  width, 
as  it  depends  entirely  on  the  percentage  of  cotton  in  the  mixture,  the 
amount  of  twist  in  the  yarn,  the  number  of  ends  and  picks  per  inch,  and 
the  weave.  There  are  so  many  factors  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  any 
definite  width  to  lay  in  the  loom.  Nothing  but  experience  and  close  ob- 
servation of  different  weaves  and  cloth  structures  will  guide  one  in  this 
important  part  of  cloth  composition.  We  must  remember  that  cotton  has 
no  fulling  properties,  and  the  cloth  cannot  be  set  very  wide  in  the  reed. 
We  must  also  remember  that  each  thread,  both  in  warp  and  filling,  occupies 
a  certain  space  according  to  the  size  of  the  yarns,  and  the  number  of  in- 
tersections in  the  design,  and  while  in  all-wool  goods  in  a  heavy  fulled 
cloth  it  is  possible  to  crowd  yarns  together  a  good  deal,  we  cannot  crowd 
cotton  mixed  yarns  too  closely,  as  the  goods  would  feel  as  hard  and  stiff 
as  buckram  when  the  ends  are  overcrowded.  Filling  yarns  should  always 
be  spun  finer  than  the  warp  yarns,  as  this  will  balance  the  pattern  better 
and  make  a  nicer  piece  of  goods. 

FinishLng. 

In  the  finishing  of  goods  in  any  grade  it  is  an  important  point  to  pre- 
serve all  the  colors  in  their  original  purity  and  brightness.  Nothing  so  mars 
and  detracts  from  the  selling  value  of  a  piece  of  goods  as  dull  and  muddy 
colors.  Having  all  the  colors  bright  and  snappy  is  often  the  success  of 
a  line,  and  is  of  great  assistance  in  the  selling.  If  properly  handled  in  the 
fulling  room  it  is  not  necessary  to  scour  these  goods  previous  to  fulling. 
This  statement  presumes  that  the  stock  was  properly  handled  in  the  dye- 
house,  and  that  a  wise  selection  was  made  of  the  dyestuff  used,  but  if 
reasonable  care  is  exercised  in  the  process  of  dyeing,  together  with  prop- 
er handling  at  the  fulling  mills,  such  goods  may  be  safely  fulled  in  the 
grease.  However,  if  a  mill  is  using  bought  shoddy  in  the  colored  state,  all 
such  colors  s-hould  be  thoroughly  tested  to  see  if  they  are  stainless  when 
fulled  along  with  the  white  cotton,  and  if  such  shoddies  show  any  stain 
on  the  white,  then  the  goods  should  be  scoured  out  before  fulling,  but  it 
will  be  necessary  to  see  that  the  soap  is  of  suflacient  strength  and  body 


288 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


to  saponify  the  grease  and  to  keep  it  so  until  the  goods  are  fulled  and 
washed  off.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  watch  the  goods  carefully  when  running 
in  the  mills,  and  to  know  that  the  soap  is  ''showing  life"  all  the  time.  If 
the  soap  becomes  dead,  that  is,  if  the  alkali  is  not  strong  enough  to  keep 
the  grease  thoroughly  saponified  all  the  time,  then  the  dirty  sludge,  full 
of  dye  stain,  may  set  on  the  goods  and  stain  the  colors  beyond  redemption. 
Eternal  vigilance  is  the  key  to  success  in  the  finishing  room. 

After  fulling,  the  goods  should  not  be  allowed  to  lie  on  the  floor  for 
any  length  of  time,  but,  if  possible,  should  be  at  once  transferred  to  the 
washer  and  well  rinsed  off  with  war  m  water,  and  then  given  a  slight  soap 
bath,  along  with  a  quart  or  two  of  am  monia.  This  will  bring  up  the  suds 
in  a  snow-white  foam,  proving  that  the  goods  are  clean.  Always  rinse  off 
the  soap  with  warm  water,  and  be  sure  that  the  soap  is  all  out  of  the 
goods  before  turning  on  the  cold  water,  as  the  latter  will  set  the  soap  in 


Cotton  Mix  Fancy  Cassimere- 


the  goods,  and  especially  so  if  the  water  is  hard,  containing  more  or  less 
lime  in  solution.  It  will  not  only  set  any  residue  of  soap  in  the  goods 
but  it  will  form  an  insoluble  lime  soap  which  is  almost  impossible  to  get 
out  by  any  after  treatment,  and  any  soap  left  in  cotton  mixed  goods  will 
render  them  stiff  and  clammy  to  the  feel,  while  if  thoroughly  rinsed,  they 
would  appear  soft  and  woolly. 

It  greatly  improves  the  handle  of  these  goods  if  they  can  be  given  a 
few  runs  on  a  wire  napper  before  fulling,  say  two  runs  on  face  and  one 
on  back,  not  to  raise  much  or  any  nap,  but  just  enough  to  scratch  the  sur- 
face and  soften  it.  Then  the  subsequent  operations  of  fulling  and  scour- 
ing will  increase  the  softness  and  enhance  the  appearance. 

When  drying  such  goods  see  that  they  are  thoroughly  extracted  first, 
and  do  not  dry  at  too  high  a  temperature,  as  too  hasty  drying  will  give 
them  a  harsh  and  stiff  handle,  yet  they  must  be  thoroughly  dry  when 
run  off  the  machine.  Shear  on  face,  but  not  too  close,  cut  off  long  fibres 
only,  and  leave  all  the  fine  bottom  to  give  softness.  Give  a  run  on  brush, 
but  very  little  steam,  as  any  dampness  in  such  goods  at  time  of  pressing 
will  cause  them  to  feel  stiff  and  hard.  Press  lightly,  and  give  a  very 
light  steam  on  face  as  the  pieces  are  going  onto  the  roll.  Leave  on  roll 
until  next  day. 

Success  in  manufacturing  this  or  any  other  kind  of  goods  depends 
principally  on  economy  in  production.  Always  aim  to  have  the  stock  goo-d 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


289 


enough  to  carry  its  own  manufacturing  waste,  as  carding  and  spinning 
soft  waste  should  never  be  allowed  to  accumulate.  It  is  a  sign  of  bad 
management  both  in  the  superintendent  and  the  carding  overseer,  and 
should  always  be  used  up  in  succeeding  batches  of  the  same  shade  and 
grade  of  goods,  and  in  the  case  of  odd  mixed  lots  and  colors,  they  can 
always  be  dyed  black  and  put  into  lots  or  batches  of  the  same  grade  of 
goods. 

No  manufacturer  to-day  can  succeed  and  keep  in  the  front  rank  in 
any  grade  of  goods  if  he  is  content  to  have  his  goods  just  the  same  as  his 
competitors.  Contentment  and  success  are  incompatible  and  cannot  join 
hands.  The  man  who  is  always  trying  to  improve,  either  in  quality  or 
style,  will  come  out  ahead,  while  the  contented  man  will  be  forced  out  of 
the  race,  and  will  wonder  how  it  is  that  the  other  man  is  having  such  good 
luck  to  keep  his  looms  running  all  the  time.  It  is  simply  the  fulfillment  of 
a  natural  law,  "the  survival  of  the  fittest." 


Layout  for  Cotton  Mixed  Cassimere:  Stock  mixture  for  white: 

2,560  ends.  60%    white   peeler   comber  waste 

10/4  reed.  @   12c  =  $  .0720 

64"   inside   list,   plus   1"   for   list.    =  65"          10%    white   fine    wool  carbonized 

over  all.  @   54c  =  .0540 

42  picks  per  inch.  15%    white    fine    noil  carbonized 

@   40c  =  .0600 

Warp  yarn:  15%  white  fine  shoddy  @  30c....  =  .0450 


4%  run.  right  twist,  soft.  Cost  per  pound   $  .2310 


50%  fast  black  cotton  @  12c  =  $  .0600 

15%  fine  black  wool  @  54c  =  .0810 

35%  fine  black  shoddy  @  14c...  =  .0490 


Cost  per  pound   $  .1900 


CALCULATIONS. 

2,560   ends   4^    run   =   6.00   oz.    +  10% 
weaving  take-up   =    6.60  oz. 

65"  X  42  picks  =  2,730  —4^  run 
=  6.06  oz.  +  10%  weaving 
take-up   =    6.66  oz. 

Loom  weight    13.26  oz. 

Finished  weight  IIV2  oz. 

6.60  oz.  white  yarn  -\-  6%  waste 
allowance  =  7.21  oz.  @  $.2310 
per  lb  =  $  .1041 

6.66  oz.  black  yarn  -f  10%  waste 
allowance  =  7.40  oz.  @  $.1900 
per  lb  =  .0879 

Cost  of  stock    $  .1920 

Manufacturing  cost: 

42  picks  @  $.0088   =  $  .3696 

Mill  cost    $  .5616 

Warp  pattern: 

2.  VV^hite  4%    run.   right  soft  twist. 

2.  Black  4%    run.   right  soft  twist. 

2.  White  4%    run,   right  soft  twist. 

1.  Black  4%    run,    right   soft  twist. 

1.  Lavender  fancy  4  run,  right  twist. 

1.  White  mercerized  cotton  2/26s. 

1.  White  4^  run,  right  soft  twist. 

2.  Black  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 
2.  White  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 
2.  Black  414  run.  right  soft  twist. 
2.  White  4^  run,  right  soft  twist. 
2.  Black  4^4  run,  right  soft  twist. 
2.  White  414  run.  right  soft  twist. 
2.  Black  4^4  run.  right  soft  twist. 
2.  White  4%  run,  right  soft  twist. 


Black  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  4^  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  4^4  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  4%  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  41^  run,  right  soft  twist. 


White  414  run, 
Black  4^4  run, 


right  soft  twist, 
right  soft  twist. 


White  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  iii  run.  right  soft  twist. 

Black  4^4  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  414  run.  right  soft  twist. 

White  iii  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  4^4  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  4^4  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  4l^  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  41/4  run,  right  soft  twist. 

Black  414  run,  right  soft  twist. 

White  41/4  run,  right  soft  twist. 
White  mercerized  cotton  2/26s. 

Lavender  fancy  4  run,  right  twist. 

Black  41/4  run,  right  soft  twist. 


64  threads  in  pattern 
5  patterns. 


320  threads  in  section. 
8  sections. 


2,560  ends. 

Filling  pattern: 

1.  white  41/^  run,  right  soft  twist. 
1.  Black  4l^  run,  right  soft  twist. 

42  picks  per  Inch. 


290 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


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FftUlsT. 


32  threads 


DRAFT. 


MELTONS 

Some  one  has  said  that  meltons  are  made  in  the  finishing  room,  and 
in  a  sense  this  is  true,  as  in  this  fabric  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the 
correct  handling  in  that  department,  but  in  order  to  get  a  proper  foundation 
for  the  finisher  to  produce  the  right  fabric  and  handle,  there  must  be  a 
proper  cloth  structure  and  also  an  intelligent  selection  of  the  stock. 

If  these  two  essential  things  are  not  right,  there  is  no  known  process 
of  finishing  that  will  make  a  good  melton,  but  given  the  right  hlenO  of 
stock  and  a  proper  cloth  construction,  then  a  good,  practical  finisher  who 
understands  the  handling  of  meltons,  will  have  no  difficuHy  in  producing 
the  goods. 

Unless  a  melton  cloth  is  properly  constructed,  there  is  bound  to  be  se- 
rious trouble  in  the  finishing.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of  fulling  to  get 
the  necessary  close  felted  face,  and  it  is  only  by  a  heavy  shrinkage,  both 
in  length  and  width,  that  you  can  get  this  close  felt  on  the  goods,  and  it 
is  owing  to  this  heavy  shrinkage  that  great  care  and  practical  experience 
is  necessary  in  order  to  make  a  properly  constructed  piece  of  goods. 

First  of  all,  there  has  to  be  the  right  selection  of  stock,  and  a  blend 
which  will  full  readily  and  felt  into  a  close  face.  Tl  blend  requires  a 
proportion  of  fine,  medium-length  staple,  also  a  short,  fine  wool,  so  that 
it  may  knit  more  closely  and  firmly  together  in  fulling.  Stock  must  be 
free  from  burrs.  Carbonized  wools  are  always  the  safest  to  use,  and  if 
properly  handled  in  carbonizing,  it  will  not  detract  from  its  fulling  prop- 
erties. 

Yarn  Sizes. 

Second,  the  yarns  must  be  of  the  right  size  in  their  relation  to  the 
weave  and  the  weight  of  the  finished  goods;  also  the  number  of  ends 
per  inch  must  be  considered,  because  if  the  size  of  yarns  used  is  not  in 
the  proper  proportion  to  the  number  of  ends  per  inch,  that  is,  if  there 
are  more  ends  per  inch  for  the  warp  and  filling  than  will  be  side  by  side 
in  one  inch  when  the  goods  are  fulled,  then  there  is  more  danger  of  full- 
ing mill  wrinkles  in  the  pieces,  also  in  heavy-weight,  low-grade  goods  there 
are  apt  to  occur  "splits'*  or  **cracks,"  as  they  are  called  in  England.  These 
cracks  will  occasionally  develop  in  any  heavy  fulled  cloth  through  lack 
of  moisture,  when  the  pieces  are  almost  up  in  width,  but  the  chief  cause 
is  too  heavy  setting  in  the  warp  ends.  When  the  limit  of  compression  is 
reached,  and  an  endeavor  is  made  to  force  the  goods  an  inch  or  more 
narrower,  the  cloth  will  get  so  stiff  and  hard  that  "splits"  are  almost  sure 
to  appear.  As  mentioned  above,  this  applies  more  to  the  low-grade, 
heavy-weight  goods. 

There  can  be  quite  a  latitude  allowed  in  all  heavy  felted  cloths,  as 
the  yarns  when  felted  together  will  allow  of  considerable  compression.  The 
fibres  of  one  thread  will  mingle  and  felt  together  with  another  thread,  both 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


291 


in  warp  and  filling,  and  thus  it  allows  of  a  heavier  setting  than  would  be 
the  case  in  other  goods.  There  is  a  limit,  however,  beyond  which  it  is  not 
safe,  and  if  the  finisher  endeavors  to  force  the  fulling,  these  ''splits"  are 
almost  sure  to  develop,  and  the  finisher  will  usually  get  all  the  blame  for 
the  damaged  goods,  when  in  reality  it  is  caused  by  faulty  construction  of 
the  fabric.  Not  every  piece  that  is  set  too  heavy  will  develop  these 
"cracks,"  as  the  amount  of  moisture  and  the  temperature  of  the  pieces  in 
the  fulling  mill  may  be  in  such  perfect  condition  that  they  will  full  to  the  re- 
quired width  without  developing  "cracks,"  but  there  is  a  latent  element  of 
danger  in  too  heavy  setting  that  will  cause  such  damage  to  which  all  de- 
signers and  superintendents  should  give  special  attention  and  see  to  it  that 
all  such  heavy  fulled  cloths  are  constructed  so  that  tLere  will  be  the  least 
possible  danger  of  damages  occurring  in  fulling.  An  ounce  of  prevention 
is  better  than  a  pound  of  cure,  and  there  is  no  cure  for  a  piece  full  of  "mill 
cracks." 

There  is  a  wide  range  of  weights  in  melton  cloths,  running  from 
13  to  22  and  24  ounces  and  even  up  to  32  ounces  per  yard,  and  this  article 
will  consider  the  practical  points  of  manufacturing  a  light,  medium  and 
heavy  weight  melton  cloth,  giving  a  layout  of  each. 


13-Ounce  Melton. 

Here  is  the  layout  of  a  light-weight  melton  which  has  been  used  a 
good  deal  for  fine  spring  coatings  made  in  Oxford  and  Cambridge  greys, 
also  in  various  shades  of  piece  dyes. 

2.880  ends.  CALCULATIONS. 

^^■'in!^  list,  plus  2"  ,or  listing  =  82"     i2'"*"x' ^MctsTrun:  :::::::::=  11 

over  all.  Plus  6%   =    0.75  oz. 

Warp  yarn:  .  ^  Loom  weight    13.15  oz. 

4      run,  right  twist. 

Filling  yarn: 

6  run,  .left  twist. 

Draw  straight  on  8  harness. 

VV^eave  plain  cloth. 

44  picks. 


To  finish  this  cloth  13  ounces  per  yard  it  will  have  to  be  fulled  in 
length  to  hold  at  least  16  per  cent.  Let  us  now  analyze  this  construction 
and  see  if  it  will  allow  of  the  necessary  shrinkage  in  fulling  without  com- 
ing too  near  t\  i  danger  limit. 


^;880  ends  fulled  to  55  inches  inside  list.  =  The  warp  yarn          runs  =  a  diameter  of 

52.4  threads  per  inch.  1/85  of  an  inch. 

44  picks   fulled  up   16%   in   length    =   52.4  The  filling  yarn  6  run  =  a  diameter  of  1/98 

threads  per  inch.  of  an  inch. 

The  mean  diameter  of  both  warp  and  filling  will  be  92,  which  means 
that  92  threads  will  lie  side  by  side  in  one  inch  without  being  compressed. 
As  this  cloth  is  woven  plain  weave,  it  will  allow  of  46  threads  warp  intersect- 
ed with  46  threads  filling  per  square  inch  when  finished,  and  as  the  cloth 
construction  shows  that  there  are  52.4  threads  warp  and  filling  per  square 
inch,  you  will  see  that  before  the  cloth  can  be  fulled  up  to  54  inches  in 
width  and  16  per  cent  in  length  there  must  be  a  compression  of  12i^  per 
cent  on  the  yarns. 

Let  us  again  figure  it  another  way:  2,880  ends  warp  divided  by  46, 
the  number  of  threads  of  4%  run  warp  and  6  run  filling,  can 
be  woven  into  a  plain  cloth  weave  without  undue  compression.  Ab 
a  matter  of  fact,  it  would  not  be  possible  to  weave  woolen  yarns  of  these 
sizes  so  closely  together,  but  that  is  the  number  of  threads  which  can, 


WOOLEN  And  worsted  fabirics  glossary 

be  laid  side  by  side  in  one  inch.  2,880  divided  by  46  equals  62  6-10  inches 
in  width  that  the  cloth  would  be  without  any  compressing  or  felting  to- 
gether of  the  yarns.  The  cloth  is  to  finish  55  inches  inside  of  list.  62  6-10 
inches  minus  55  inches  equals  7  6-10  inches  of  compression  or  felting  to  be 
put  into  the  piece,  which  is  equivalent  to  12^  per  cent,  and  is  about  all 
that  would  be  safe  to  attempt  in  a  plain  weave.  If  it  were  a  weave  with 
fewer  intersections  it  could  be  fulled  up  a  good  deal  more  without  any 
danger.  This  piece  of  goods  as  laid  out  will  take  almost  a  whole  day  in 
fulling  to  get  it  up  to  the  required  width. 

The  Wool  Used. 

In  making  yarns  for  this  cloth  it  is  necessary  to  get  the  very  finest 
quality  of  pulled  wool  for  the  white  percentage  of  the  mixture,  and  in 
laying  down  the  blend  in  the  picker  room,  a  5  per  cent  white  mixture  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  lay  down  evenly,  so  that  the  mix  will  be  uniform 
throughout.  The  best  method  is  to  take  20  pounds  of  the  body  shade  and 
lay  it  down  in  a  thin  layer  on  the  floor,  then  take  the  5  per  cent  of  white 
and  spread  it  over  as  evenly  as  possible,  then  run  it  all  through  the  mix- 
ing picker  twice.  By  this  method  you  get  25  per  cent  of  the  blend  to 
mix  with  the  other  75  per  cent,  which  is  not  a  very  diflBcult  task.  This 
will  give  a  nice,  even  blend. 

In  making  a  1  or  2  per  cent  mix  it  is  best  to  lay  down  9  pounds  of 
the  body  color  with  the  1  per  cent  white,  and  run  that  through  the  mix- 
ing picker  twice.  Then  add  to  that  another  20  pounds  of  body  color  and 
mix  it  as  before,  adding  to  it  the  balance  of  the  percentage  of  body  color. 
By  this  method  you  are  practically  sure  of  getting  an  even  mix  in  your 
batch.  Warp  yarns  should  be  spun  with  a  good  firm  twist,  as  a  plain  weave 
is  usually  hard  on  the  yarns.    The  filling  yarn  is  given  a  medium  twist. 

When  woven,  the  pieces  must  be  carefully  burled  and  all  knots  re- 
moved. The  burling  tables  should  be  covered  with  tin  or  zinc,  which 
makes  a  smooth  surface,  and  all  knots  are  readily  detected  by  the  burlers 
when  the)  pass  their  hands  over  the  cloth.  It  is  best  to  give  a  double 
burling,  once  over  a  table  and  once  over  a  perch,  where  the  operator  can 
look  through  the  piece  toward  the  light  from  a  window. 

It  requires  a  good  body  soap  to  full  these  goods,  and  of  sufficient  al- 
kali strength  to  saponify  all  the  grease  and  keep  all  grease,  dyes,  etc.,  in 
suspension  during  the  process  of  fulling.  The  pieces  will  require  consid- 
erable attention  during  the  fulling,  and  should  be  overhauled  frequently 
to  prevent  mill  wrinkles.  When  the  pieces  are  about  58  to  59  inches  in 
width,  and  shrink  in  length  about  14  per  cent,  take  them  out,  scour  thor- 
oughly and  extract.  Then  put  them  onto  a  wet  gig  and  give  them  a  few 
runs  on  the  face.  This  will  loosen  up  any  long  fibres  not  felted  down,  then 
put  on  the  shear  and  crop  without  drying,  shearing  off  all  loose  fibres,  but 
leave  the  close  bottom  nap  or  felt.  Put  back  in  fulling  mill  and  full  up  to 
55  inches  inside  list,  and  the  necessary  shrinkage  in  length.  Some  fin- 
ishers prefer  to  dry  the  goods  previous  to  cropping,  and  while  it  is  not 
necessary  in  regard  to  the  finish,  it  has  an  advantage  if  the  goods  have  to 
lie  over  any  time  before  the  second  fulling.  After  the  second  fulling  is 
completed,  wash  out  yarn,  using  ammonia  in  the  soap  bath  to  insure  a 
thorough  raising  and  washing  out  of  all  the  soap.  Extract  and  brush  yarn 
on  wet  brush.  Dry  at  56  inches,  inside  list.  Steam  brush  before  shearing, 
giving  several  runs  on  shears.    Press  firm,  and  leave  on  roll  over  night. 

22-Ounce,  High-Grade  Melton. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  structure  of  a  heavy-weight  melton  made 
from  all  fine  wool  with  no  adulteration.  This  layout  and  weave  have  been 
in  the  market  for  many  years  as  a  standard  high-grade  melton  overcoating, 
and  as  the  weave  is  a  double  cloth  in  the  warp,  with  a  single  cloth  filling. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


293 


it  is  possible  to  put  a  good  many  more  ends  in  tlie  warp  per  inch  than  in 
the  filling.  The  maximum  ends  per  inch  in  warp  are  72,  without  any  com- 
pression in  fulling,  and  56  per  inch  in  filling.    The  yarn  calculation  shows 


4,800  ends. 

4  run,  right  twist. 

15.4  reed. 

80"  inside  list,   plus  2"  for  listing   =  82" 
over  all. 


41/2    run  filling,   left  twist. 
50  picks  per  inch. 

Diameter  of  warp  yarn  =  1/SO  of  an  inch. 
Diameter    of    filling    yarn    =    1/85    of  an 
iiu  h. 


that  this  cloth  will  come  from  the  loom  23|  ounces  per  yard,  and  as  it 
will  lose  at  least  20  per  cent  in  fulling  and  scouring,  the  piece  will  have 
to  be  fulled  up  6  inches  per  yard,  which  equals  16  2-3  per  cent  in  length. 

Formula  to  find  shrinkage: 

Multiply  loom  weight    by     the     per  cent    clean    weight;  -multiply    by    36"  (yard); 
divide  by  ounces    wanted,     which     will        show  the  shrinkage  wanted  per  yard. 

In  this  case  the  loom  weight  is  23.25  ounces,  and  is  estimated  to  lose 
20  per  cent  of  weight  in  finishing;  20  per  cent  of  100  equals  80  per  cent  clean 
weight. 

Formula: 

23.25  X  80  X  36 

  =  30  inches. 

22  oz.  X  100 

This  means  that  there  must  be  a  shrinkage  of  6  inches  per  yard. 

Structure  analysis: — 4800  ends  divided  by  54  inches  finished  width  will 
equal  88  warp  threads  per  inch,  and  50  picks  per  inch  woven,  and  shrunk 
in  length  16  2-3  per  cent  will  be  equal  to  60  picks  per  inch  finished,  and  as 
stated  previously  that  72  threads  is  the  maximum  warp  and  56  picks 
in  the  filling,  it  shows  that  there  must  be  a  compression  or  felting  together 
of  the  warp  threads  of  18  per  cent,  and  in  the  filling  6  2-3  per  cent.  Figuring 
it  by  the  second  method  as  outlined  in  the  13-oz.  melton,  we  find  that  there 
has  to  be  12  2-3  inches  of  compression  or  felting  in  the  width,  and  as  the 
cloth  is  double  warp,  that  is  a  face  warp  and  a  back  warp,  there  will  be  no 
trouble  in  fulling  to  the  required  width.  If  you  examine  the  weave  chain,  you 
will  note  that  the  filling  goes  under  three  threads  and  over  three  of  the 
warp,  showing  an  open  weave  which  allows  of  considerable  fulling  in  width. 


Face  weave. 


Back  weave. 


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harness  twill. 
Warp  face. 


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harness  twill. 
Filling  face. 


Cloth  woven  twill  to  right. 


The  weave  for  22-oz.  Melton. 


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Manufacturing  and  finishing  parti  culars  same  as  the  13-oz.  melton. 


32-oz.  Fine  All-Wool,  HIgh-Grade  Fabric. 

This  layout  is  a  standard  fabric  made  by  one  of  the  finest  worsted  and 
woolen  mills  in  the  country,  whose  cloths  have  always  been  held  up  as  par 
excellence  in  fabric  and  finish.  The  aim  of  this  mill  has  been  to  put  on  the 
market  a  melton  cloth  equal  to  the  famous  Carr  melton,  which  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  melton  cloths  in  England.  This  cloth  shows  a  large  num- 
ber of  ends,  and  is  set  wide  in  the  loom,  necessitating  a  long  fulling.  The 
construction  is  somewhat  different  from  the  usual  way,  in  that  the  filling 


294 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


other  case  the  filling  is  spun  finer,  and  is  generally  accepted  as  being  the 
best  method  of  construction.  The  reason  for  reversing  the  usual  method 
was  the  desire  to  put  into  the  filling  stock  quite  a  percentage  of  fine  Aus- 
tralian noils  to  produce  an  extra  heavy  felt  on  the  goods.  If  the  filling 
naa  been  spun  finer  it  would  not  have  been  possible  to  put  m  so  much  ot 
the  fine  noils,  but  with  the  heavier  yarn  it  is  permissable,  and  at  the  same 
time  there  was  less  twist  put  into  the  yarn  to  retain  the  necessary 
strength.  The  warp  yarn  was  spun  from  a  fine  quality  wool,  with  a  small 
percentage  of  noils,  making  a  strong  yarn,  which  was  necessary  to  in- 
jure good  weaving,  as  the  picks  called  for  were  nearly  all  that  were  pos- 
sible to  put  into  the  cloth  at  the  loom. 


5,320  ends. 
141/^.4  reed. 

91%"    inside   list,    plus    2"    for  listing 
93%"  over  all. 

Warp  yarn: 

4  run,  right  twist. 

Filling  yarn: 

SVz  run,  left  twist,  spun  soft. 
60  picks  per  inch. 


Loom   weight   32   oz.   per  yard. 

Finished  weight  32  oz.  per  yard. 

In  order  to  finish  this  weight  it  is  neces- 
sary to  shrink  the  piece  20%  in  length. 

5,320  ends  h-  54"  finished  =  98  threads 
per  inch  finished. 

60  picks  +  20%  shrinkage  in  length  =  75 
threads  per  inch  finished. 

4  run  yarn  =  1/80  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
run  yarn  =  1/75  of  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter. 


This  gives  a  mean  diameter  of  1-79  per  inch,  which  shows 
that  in  a  plain  weave  39.5  threads  warp  and  filling 
could  be  put  in  a  square  inch  of  cloth  without  undue  com- 
pression, and  as  the  weave  used  is  a  double  cloth  warp  and  filling,  it  will  al- 
low of  this  heavy  setting  of  the  warp.  At  first  glance  one  would  say 
that  it  had  almost  reached  the  limit,  and  that  it  would  be  extra  hard  fulling 
in  width,  but  you  will  see  by  the  analysis  of  structure  that,  owing  to  the 
fewer  threads  per  inch  in  filling,  it  permits  of  a  closer  compression  of  the 
warp  yarns. 

The  Finished  Cloth. 

As  above  noted,  the  finished  cloth  shows  98 1/^  threads  per  inch 
in  the  warp,  and  the  mean  diameter  of  the  yarns  will  allow  of  39.5  threads 
in  a  single  cloth  plain  weave  per  inch,  which  would  equal  79  threads  in  a 
double  cloth  weave,  while  in  the  filling  there  will  only  be  75  threads  per 
inch  in  the  finished  cloth,  which  is  four  picks  under  the  limit,  even  with- 
out any  compression  of  the  threads. 

The  above  will  show  that  the  warp  yarn  will  have  to  be  compressed 
in  the  fulling  20  per  cent,  or,  to  express  it  in  inches,  it  means  13  1-3 
inches  of  compression  or  felting  in  width.  If  the  number  of  threads  per 
inch  in  the  filling  were  equal  to  the  threads  per  inch  of  warp,  it  would 
not  be  possible  to  get  this  amount  of  fulling  on  the  goods,  and  it  is  this 
fact  that  permits  of  the  cloth  being  fulled  to  the  required  width. 

Note  the  face  and  back  weaves.  You  will  see  that  the  warp  yarns  are 
floated  3  up  and  1  down  on  face,  while  the  hack  weave  is  the  face  weave 
reversed.  This  weave  allows  of  the  warp  yarns  lying  close  together,  as  the 
filling  intersections  are  few. 


Face  weave. 
■■■□> 


Back  weave. 


Complete  weave  on  16  harness. 


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VV^eave  for  32-oz.  Melton. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


295 


Manufacturing  and  finishing  particulars  same  as  the  13-oz.  melton. 

It  is  possible,  of  course,  to  construct  a  much  cheaper  grade  of  mel- 
ton than  these  two  latter  heavy-weight  cloths  by  using  shoddy  in  the 
blend,  and  spinning  heavier  yarns.  This  would  call  for  a  change  in  cloth 
structure  from  a  double  to  a  single  cloth  weave,  which  will  be  taken  up 
later. 

13-oz.  MELTON.  2$i-oz.  MELTON. 

COST  CALCULATIONS.  COST  CALCULATIONS. 

2,880  ends  41/2  run  warp  =    6.1O  oz.  4,800  ends  4  run  warp  =  12.00  oz. 

}}2  X  44  =  3,608  6  run  filling... =    6.00  oz.  82  X  50  =  4,100  -r-  iVz  run  fiirg=    9.11  oz. 

Plus  6%  take-up   =     .75  oz. 


21.11  oz. 

Loom  weight    13.15  oz.  Plus  10%   take-up   =    2.11  oz. 

13.15    oz.    plus   8%    waste  allow-   

ance  =  14.3  oz.  Loom  weight    23.22  oz. 

Finished  weight  13  oz.  23.22    oz.    plus    8%    waste  allow- 

14.3  oz.  fine  grade  wool  @  66c.. =  $  .5899  ^nee  =  25.27  oz.  of  stock. 

Plus  16%  shrinkage  in  length...  =      .0943  Finished  weight  22  oz. 

'~r~777;  25.27  oz.  +.16  2/3%  shrinkage  in 

$  .6842  length  =  30  oz.  @  66c.  per  lb.=  $1.2375 

Manufacturing  cost:  Manufacturing  cost: 

44  picks  @   $.0086  =  $  .3784  50  picks  @   $.0080   =  $  .4000 

Plus  16%  shrinkage  in  length... =      .0606  Plus  16  2/3%  shrink'ge  in  length=  .0666 


Mill  cost    $1.1232  Mill  cost    $1.7041 

32-oz.  MELTON. 

COST  CALCULATIONS. 

5,320  ends  4  run  warp  =  13.30  oz. 

93%"    X     60    picks    =    5,625  -^- 

31/2  filling   =  16.00  oz. 

Plus  10%  take-up   =   2.95  oz. 


Loom  weight    32.25  oz. 

Finished  weight  32  oz. 

32.25  oz.  4-  10%  waste  allow- 
ance  =  35.83  oz. 

35.83    oz.     +    20%    shrinkage  in 

length  =  43.00  oz. 

43   oz.    fine    wool    and  Australian 

noils   @    66c  =  $1.7737 

Manufacturing  costs: 

60  picks  @  $.7000   =  .4200 

Plus  20%  shrinkage  in  length...  =  .0840 


Mill  cost    $2.2777 


BROADCLOTHS 

There  are  always  many  varieties  in  quality  and  weight  or  broadcloths, 
running  from  the  fine  worsted  warps,  ounces  per  yard,  or  even  light- 
er, up  to  12  to  14  ounces  per  yard,  54  to  55  inches  wide.  The  lighter 
weights  are  used  for  dress  suitings  and  opera  cloakings,  and  the  heavier 
cloths  for  misses'  and  ladies'  spring  cloakings  and  jackets.  Of  late  years 
the  worsted  warp  goods  have  been  the  favorite  cloth,  as  there  is  a  crisp- 
ness  to  the  worsted  yarn  that  cannot  be  obtained  in  an  all-wool  spun  yarn, 
and  this  crispness  gives  a  certain  character  to  the  cloth  which  cannot  be 
imitated  in  the  wool  spun.  There  is  also  the  question  of  weight  to  be  con- 
sidered, and  if  any  one  attempted  to  spin  wool  yarns  fine  enough  to  make 
an  8-ounce  broadcloth  of  the  same  texture  as  a  worsted  warp  it  would  be 
too  costly  a  piece  of  goods,  and  then  it  would  not  have  that  distinctive 
crispness,  for  by  the  combing  and  drawing  in  the  manufacture  of  worsted 
yarns  it  is  possible  to  spin  a  finer  thread  out  of  a  given  grade  of  wool 
than  can  be  done  by  carding  and  spinning  woolen  process. 

These  worsted  warp  fabrics  require  a  large  number  of  warp  ends,  also 


296 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


more  picks  per  inch  than  an  ordinary  wool  spun  fabric.  This  fact  is  gen- 
erally understood,  that  the  lighter  the  weight  of  the  cloth  the  finer  the 
yarn  and  the  more  ends  per  inch  warp  and  filling  are  required  in  order  to 
produce  a  fabric  lighter  in  weight  but  equal  in  structure  to  a  heavier 
cloth.  No  mill  should  attempt  to  make  these  goods  unless  it  is  properly 
equipped  with  the  necessary  machinery  for  such  work. 

In  order  to  compete  successfully,  it  should  have  modern  high-speed 
looms.  It  is  even  better  if  it  is  equipped  with  the  automatic  magazine  loom 
for  worsteds,  which  would  make  it  possible  for  a  weaver  to  run  four  looms 
in  place  of  two  of  the  ordinary  looms.  The  dressing  room  must  have  the 
sizing  and  drying  coils  attached  to  the  dressing  frames,  as  these  yarns 
must  be  well  sized  to  prevent  chaffing  in  the  loom.  The  finishing  depart- 
ment should  have  a  crabbing  machine,  and  fulling  mills  built  especially  for 
light-weight  goods,  as  the  ordinary  fulling  mill,  built  for  the  general  run  of 
woolen  goods,  is  too  heavy  in  the  rolls  and  the  cramping  boxes  are  too 
large. 

Delicate  Shades. 

A  manufacturer  must  also  bear  in  mind  that  any  mill  making  these 
delicate  shades  must  be  run  entirely  on  white  yarns,  for  if  they  have 
any  colored  stocks  running  in  the  carding  and  spinning  rooms,  or  even 
dark  colored  goods  going  through  the  finishing  room,  it  would  not  be  pos- 
sible to  keep  the  delicate  shades  free  from  dark  colored  fly.  Mills  making 
such  goods  have  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to  have  a  department  in  the 
finishing  room  entirely  separated  and  equipped  with  all  the  machinery  nec- 
essary, which  is  used  only  on  light  and  delicate  shades.  There  must  be 
separate  nappers  or  gigs,  carbonizing  dryers,  brushes,  shears,  presses,  etc., 
as  that  is  the  only  way  to  clear  shades  free  from  colored  fiy. 

Equal  care  must  be  exercised  in  the  dyehouse — special  kettles,  trucks, 
extractors,  etc.,  and  in  some  dyehouses  the  operatives  are  supplied  with 
clean  overalls  or  aprons.  This  may  be  considered  by  some  as  an  extreme 
precaution,  but  the  writer  can  vouch  for  its  eflScacy  in  preventing  many 
soiled  spots  and  stains,  as  these  clean  overalls  are  a  constant  reminder 
that  the  goods  are  easily  soiled  and  require  clean  hands  as  well  as  clean 
clothes  on  the  part  of  whoever  is  handling  them. 

CALCULATIONS. 
3,680  ends  l/30s  ==  3.50  oz.  +  6% 

take-up   =    3.70  Oi. 

72"   X   60  picks  =  4,320. 
4,320    40    cut    =    5.76   oz.    +  6% 

take-up    5.80  oz. 

Loom  weight    9.50  oz. 

Finished  weight,   8  oz. 
3.70  oz.  warp  -|-  2%  waste  allow- 
ance =  3.78  oz.  @  $1  per  lb..=  $  .2362 
5.80  oz.  filling  -f  3%  waste  allow- 
ance =  6  oz.  @  $1  per  lb....==  .3750 

$  .6112 

Manufacturing  costs: 

2  loom  work,  60  picks  2800 

Mill  cost    $  .8912 

A  suitable  size  for  the  dressing  on  this  work  can  be  made  as  follows: 
For  120  gallons  of  water,  40  pounds  dextrine  and  80  pounds  starch.  Place 
starch  in  cold  water  and  mix  thorou  ghly  free  from  lumps.  Mix  the  dex- 
trine in  four  pails  of  water  and  boil  for  twenty  minutes,  then  add  the 
starch  to  the  tank  while  boiling,  also  add  seven  pounds  glue,  previously 
dissolved,  stirring  constantly  while  adding  the  starch  and  glue.  Boil  30 
minutes,  and  then  add  one-half  gallon  of  glycerine. 


Layout  for  8-oz.  Warp  Worsted  Broadcloth. 

3,680  ends. 
13.4  reed. 

70%"  inside  list,  plus  1^4"  for  listing  = 
72"  over  all. 
Warp  yarn: 

l/30s  French  spun  worsted. 
Filling  yarn: 

40  cut,  white  carb.  noils,  right  twist. 
Weave: 

3  harness;  twill  to  left. 

60  picks  per  inch. 

Listing   on    extra  harnesses. 

■■□■■□■■□■an  ^ 
□■■□■■□■■□■■  Ph 

■□■wap^-^HHS^^ 

3  Harness  Twill  on  12  Harness. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


2^7 


When  woven,  these  goods  must  be  carefully  burled,  and  any  threads 
left  out  or  imperfections  repaired  by  an  experienced  mender.  They  are 
then  run  through  the  crabbing  machine,  and  left  on  the  roll  for  some  time 
to  set,  then  extracted  well,  listing  tacked  together  face  of  cloth  inside,  and 
are  then  ready  for  the  fulling  mill. 

As  previously  mentioned,  the  fulling  mill  should  be  a  special  mill  built 
for  light-weight  goods,  having  lighter  rolls  and  smaller  cramping  boxes. 
A  good  body  of  soap  is  required,  maae  from  tallow  and  palm  oil.  Such  a 
soap  will  make  a  good  felt  on  the  material,  and  being  easy  to  saponify, 
will  scour  out  freely.  The  fuller  must  examine  the  prices  frequently,  open- 
ing them  out  so  as  to  change  the  folds  and  prevent  wrinkles,  and  it  is  a 
good  plan  when  the  pieces  are  about  half  fulled  to  take  them  out  and  re- 
verse the  ends.  Full  to  56  inches  in  width,  inside  of  listings,  and  cramp 
3  inches  or  more  per  yard  in  length.  This  shrinkage  will  full  out  in  the  gig- 
ging and  steaming,  and  allow  the  goods  to  be  finished  woven  length. 

Do  not  allow  the  goods  to  heat  up  too  much  when  fulling.  Regulate 
the  doors  of  the  mill  so  that  the  pieces  feel  warm,  but  no  more.  The  long- 
er they  full  the  better  pieces  you  will  get,  and  a  closer  feel  will  be  found, 
which  produces  a  superior  finish.  Scour  well,  using  plenty  of  warm  water 
to  insure  the  removal  of  all  soap.  Then  transfer  to  crabbing  machine,  roll 
up  tight,  and  leave  on  roll  all  night.    Next  day  carbonize  and  neutralize. 

Gigging  or  Napping. 

The  gigging  or  napping  requires  care  and  judgment;  a  wire  napper 
should  not  be  used.  Wet  gig  with  old  teasles.  Do  not  use  any  sharp  work, 
as  this  class  of  broadcloths  do  not  need  napping  so  much  as  lustering.  After 
being  gigged  the  goods  should  be  extracted  and  cropped,  taking  off  all 
long  fibres,  but  leaving  the  fine  bottom.  Give  a  few  runs  to  insure  even- 
ness, and  they  are  then  ready  for  steaming  or  lustering.  Many  finishers 
prefer  the  regular  steaming  cylinders,  giving  the  goods  10  to  15  min- 
utes each  end.  The  writer  prefers  on  this  class  of  goods  the  old  process 
of  boiling  and  wet  gigging,  using  stiff  brushes  on  the  gig  instead  of 
the  teasels.  An  up-and-down  gig  is  used,  having  a  trough  built  under  the 
bottom  roll,  and  so  arranged  with  water  and  steam  pipes  that  it  can  be 
kept  full  of  boiling  or  cold  water  as  desired.  There  should  also  be  a 
perforated  pipe  placed  along  in  front  of  the  top  roll,  so  that  cold  water 
can  be  forced  upon  the  cloth  before  it  is  rolled  up.  By  boiling,  wet  gigging 
an-d  cooling  off  occasionally  it  is  possible  to  get  a  good  permanent  lus- 
ter on  the  goods. 

Dyeing. 

When  entering  any  kind  of  napped  goods  into  the  dye  kettle,  it  is  im- 
portant to  see  that  the  direction  of  the  nap  lies  away  from  the  rolls  and 
not  toward  them.  That  is,  when  the  roll  draws  the  cloth  out  of  the  dye 
liquor  the  nap  should  lie  so  that  the  stream  of  water  will  run  with  the 
nap.  If  it  were  to  run  against  the  nap  it  would  rough  it  up  and  produce  a 
crimpy  or  waved  appearance.  After  dyeing,  the  pieces  are  taken  back  to 
the  wet  gig  to  be  straightened  out,  and  the  nap  laid  well.  Extract  and  dry 
at  56  inches.   They  are  then  given  a  final  shearing.  Steam,  brush  and  press. 

As  the  yarns  for  this  class  of  goods  can  all  be  purchased  ready  for 
manufacturing  into  cloth,  the  warp  yarns  on  spools  ready  to  set  into  the 
dressing  frame,  and  the  filling  all  spun  on  tubes  or  bobbins  ready  to 
weave,  the  labor  cost  of  manufacturing  is  consequently  low.  There  is 
only  the  dressing,  dra wing-in,  weaving,  finishing  and  dyeing,  shipping  and 
ofl^ce  expenses,  and  if  the  mill  has  part  of  the  preparatory  departments, 
such  as  carding  and  spinning,  standing  idle,  because  of  the  yarns  being 
bought  for  weaving,  for  all  or  part  of  the  looms,  this  fabric  should  not  be 


298 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


charged  up  with  any  overhead  expenses  or  burden  of  such  departments, 
nor  any  items  which  cannot  be  directly  charged  against  the  manufac- 
turing cost  of  the  fabric. 


Layout  for  10-oz.  Wool  Spun  Yarn: 
3,200  ends. 
Reed  13.3. 

82"   inside    list,    plus    IV2"    for   listing  = 
831/^"  over  all. 
Warp: 

61/2  run,  left  twist. 
Filling: 

7    run,    right  twist. 
Weave: 

3   harness;   twill   to  right. 

42  picks  per  inch. 


CALCULATIONS. 

3.200  ends  6  Va  run   =    4.92  oz. 

831/2"  X  42  picks  =  3,507  7  run.=    5.00  oz. 

9.92  oz. 

Plus  8%  take-up   =    0.78  oz. 

Loom  weight   10.70  oz. 

Finished   weight,    10  oz. 

Shrinkage  in  length  (finishing)  12%. 


This  layout  was  a  standard  broadcloth  for  many  years  until  the  wor- 
sted warp  cloth  became  so  much  in  vogue,  but  for  a  medium  weight  this 
makes  an  excellent  cloth.  It  requires  a  very  nice  quality  of  wool  to  spin 
down  to  and  7  run  yarns  for  two- loom  work.  Warp  yarns  should  be 
smooth  and  level,  free  from  "twists"  and  bunches,  as  nothing  will  dis- 
courage a  weaver  so  much  as  these  twists  or  soft  places  in  the  warp  yarn, 
as  in  either  case  it  means  broken  ends,  and  it  almost  invariably  happens 
that  one  broken  thread  will  entangle  others  unless  the  loom  is  stopped 
at  once  when  a  thread  breaks,  and  when  a  weaver  is  trying  to  run  two 
looms  with  twitty  yarn  it  is  impossible  to  see  all  broken  threads  in  time 
to  stop  and  prevent  a  tangle  of  threads.  Few  weavers  will  waste  their 
time  on  such  work,  but  will  seek  employment  s'omewhere  else  where  the 
yarns  are  good  enough  to  insure  a  reasonable  production  and  good  wages. 

This  fabric  not  only  requires  a  fine  quality  of  wool,  but  also  a  good 
felting  wool,  and  a  blend  of  12-month  s  Texas  with  a  percentage  of  fine  Cal- 
ifornia or  fine  fall  Texas  would  make  a  good  felting  combination.  In  the 
foreign  wools  a  good  Cape  wool  is  an  excellent  wool  for  broadcloths 
or  any  felted  fabric. 

Selection  of  Wools. 

If  there  is  a  proper  selection  of  wools  there  is  not  so  much  danger  of 
twitty  yarns.  Permit  me  to  say  here  that  the  carder  or  spinner  is  not 
always  responsible  for  such  yarns,  as  a  few  long,  coarse  fibres  in  the 
wool  will  make  more  twits  than  carders  and  spinners  ever  dreamed  of. 
Carders  will  occasionally  make  twitty  roping,  and  spinners  will  also  make 
twits  even  when  the  roping  is  all  right,  and  it  is  something  that  great  care 
should  be  taken  to  guard  against.  There  is  very  often  an  unfortunate  feel- 
ing of  enmity  between  a  carder  and  spinner,  and  the  production  suffers 
greatly  by  it.  These  two  departments  are  so  closely  linked  together  that 
there  should  be  cordial  relations  between  the  overseers,  but  if  any  an- 
tagonism creeps  in  between  them  there  is  bound  to  be  more  or  less  friction, 
and  if  it  so  happens  that  the  superintendent  is  not  thoroughly  practical, 
and  can  place  the  blame  where  it  belongs,  the  breach  is  sure  to  widen, 
and  production  will  suffer  both  in  quantity  and  quality. 

A  cranky  carder  can  make  it  very  disagreeable  for  a  spinner,  and  a 
cranky  spinner  can  ruin  the  work  of  a  good  carder  if  he  so  chooses.  If 
any  friction  is  known  to  exist  between  these  overseers  the  superintend- 
ent's duty  is  to  warn  both  men  that  if  they  do  not  co-operate  for  the 
good  of  the  mill,  and  show  it  by  the  results,  then  one  or  both  should  be 
discharged.  Personal  animosities  between  overseers  must  be  at  all  times 
subservient  to  the  best  interests  of  the  employer,  because  no  business  can 
attain  its  full  success  unless  it  is  conducted  on  the  broad  principle  of 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


299 


cordial  relationship  between  the  heads  of  departments' and  the  management. 
These  remarks  apply  generally  to  the  manufacture  of  all  classes  of  work, 
and  are  not  confined  to  the  subject  of  this  article. 

The  roping  for  the  yarns  of  this  fabric  should  be  of  such  a  size  as 
to  give  the  spinner  about  half  draft,  and  if  drawn  properly  should  make 
a  good,  smooth  yarn.  As  the  warp  yarns  have  to  be  sized  in  the  dressing, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  make  a  hard-twisted  thread.  The  softer  it  is  the  bet- 
ter fabric  it  will  make,  as  the  fibres  will  felt  together  better  if  not  twisted 
too  hard,  but  the  twist  must  be  sufficient  to  make  good  weaving,  and  the 
sizing  will  prevent  any  chaffing  of  the  yarns. 

Filling  Yarns. 

In  the  spinning  of  filling  yarns,  keep  the  top  and  bottom  spools  of  rop- 
ing separate.  Never  mix  the  bobbins  of  tops  and  bottoms  for  filling  in  any 
class  of  goods,  no  matter  how  closely  the  yarns  may  reel  in  size.  Follow 
out  this  plan  in  the  weave  room  also,  and  the  finisher  will  not  have  to 
worry  over  uneven  fulling  and  cockled  goods.  * 

Pieces  should  be  tacked  at  the  listing  before  fulling.  This  will  pre- 
vent rolling  of  the  lists.  Use  a  good  body  of  soap  made  of  tallow  and 
palm  oil.  Do  not  allow  the  goods  to  get  too  warm  in  the  fulling  mills. 
Keep  them  just  warm  enough  to  full  and  felt  well.  If  they  are  too  wet 
when  fulling,  the  pieces  will  full  but  will  not  have  that  close  felt  so  necessary 
to  produce  a  good  broadcloth,  and  unless  you  get  the  felt  the  goods  will 
look  thready  and  raw.  Full  55  to  56  inches  in  width,  so  as  to  hold  12  per 
cent  shrinkage  in  length  when  finished.  Scour  well  and  send  to  carbon- 
izing room. 

Giggi»ng. 

A  wire  napper  may  be  used  for  the  first  gigging.  Begin  lightly  and  do 
not  force  the  work.  Pieces  should  be  reversed  after  the  felt  is  well  brok- 
en, and  the  napping  continued  until  it  shows  a  clear  bottom  in  the 
goods.  Transfer  to  the  cropping  shear,  and  crop  until  you  get  down  to  a 
close,  even  nap,  then  put  on  a  teasel  gig  for  final  napping,  after  which 
the  pieces  are  ready  for  the  steaming  to  produce  luster.  Steam  for  15  to 
20  minutes  each  end.  The  length  of  time  can  only  be  determined  by  the 
steam  pressure  used  and  the  luster  desired. 

The  goods  are  now  ready  for  the  dyehouse.  After  dyeing,  give  a  few 
runs  on  wet  brush  to  straighten  out  and  lay  the  nap  dry  at  56  inches. 
Shear  again,  so  that  the  nap  will  not  rough  up,  steam  and  brush.  Dampen 
with  dewing  machine  and  let  the  pieces  lie  on  roll  for  some  hours  be- 
fore pressing.    Give  a  good  pressing,  and  leave  on  roll  until  the  next  day. 

COST  CALCULATIONS. 
Loom  weight   of   goods    10.70  oz. 

plus  10%  waste  allowance ....  =  11.9  oz. 
11.9  oz.  fine  wool  @  64c.  per  lb..=  $  .4760 
Plus  12%  shrinkage  in  length.. =  .0571 

Manufacturing  cost: 

2  loom  work,   plus  12%  =  .2600 


Mill   cost    $  .7931 

Weave  chain  same  as  the  worsted  warp 
broadcloth,  but  the  twill  must  run  to  the 
right. 

This  weight  of  broadcloth  is  generally  used  for  children's  and  misses' 
spring  or  fall  coats,  also  for  ladies'  cloakings.  Some  clothing  manufactur- 
ers will  use  a  12-ounce  cloth,  as  it  can  be  bought  cheaper,  but  it  does  not 
make  up  so  well  as  the  14-ounce  cloth,  being  more  sleazy  it  does  not 
keep  its  shape  so  well.  It  is  dyed  into  many  fancy  shades,  as  s-carlet, 
bright  reds,  tans,  brown,  light  and  dark  blues,  etc.    The  stock   used  is 


300 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


about  the  same  quality  as*  the  10-ounce  cloth,  but  as  the  yarns  are  spun 
heavier  it  is  possible  to  use  quite  a  percentage  of  a  fine  noil,  and  a  fine 
California  wool  may  be  used  instead  of  the  12-months  Texas,  which  would 
help  to  cheapen  the  stock  somewhat. 

The  manufacturing  processes  are  practically  the  same  as  the  10-ounce 
broadcloth,  and  as  this  cloth  is  4  ounces  per  yard  heavier,  it  is  even  an 
easier  cloth  to  finish  than  the  10-ounce.  One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  in 
making  all  face-finished  goods  in  the  fancy  shades  is  to  overcome  the  ten- 
dency to  have  uneven  shades,  goods  shading  from  side  to  centre.  If  the 
piece  shows  darker  on'  the  sides  than  in  the  centre  it  will  usually  be  found 
that  the  gigging  has  not  been  even,  owing  to  the  listing  being  tighter  or 
not  so  tight  as  the  body  of  the  piece.  If  it  is  tight,  the  gig  will  dig  deeper 
into  the  cloth  and  raise  a  heavier  nap.  The  same  thing  will  hap- 
pen if  the  listing  is  loose,  as  the  cloth  will  then  flap  or  strike  against 
the  teasels  and  show  a  heavier  nap,  but  it  will  not  be  so  continuous 
and  of  as  even  a  streak  as  a  tight  listing.  Similar  unevenness  may  be 
caused  in  the  process  of  steaming  the  pieces  by  letting  the  steam  blow  out 
at  the  listings  before  it  comes  through  the  body  of  the  goods.  The  fin- 
isher should  see  to  it  that  the  s-team  comes  evenly  through  the  pieces,  an<l 
not  have  it  come  first  on  the  edge.  This  can  be  regulated  by  the  way  that 
the  burlap  is  wound  on  the  steaming  roll,  and  the  finisher  should  give  spe- 
cial attention  to  the  steaming  of  the  first  pieces,  and  if  it  is  not  right, 
have  it  corrected  at  once. 


Layout  for  14-oz.  Broadcloth: 

3,500  ends. 
Reed  7.4. 

80"    inside    list,    plus    IV2"    for   listing  == 
811/^"   over  all. 
Warp: 

4%   run,   left  twist. 
Filling: 

5  run,  right  twist. 

40   picks  per  inch. 
Weave: 

3  harness;  twill  to  right. 

CALCULATIONS. 

3,500   ends   4%    run  =    7.37  oz. 

811/2"  X  40  picks  =  3,260. 

3,260  -T-  5  run  =    6.52  oz. 


13.89  oz. 

Plus  10%  take-up  =    1.39  oz. 


Loom  weight   15.28  oz. 


Finished  weight,  14  oz. 

Shrinkage  in  length  at  fulling  16%. 
15.28  oz.   +  10%  waste  allowance 
=  17  oz.  of  stock. 


Stock  mixture: 

25%  fine  Texas  @  60c  =  $  .1500 

50%  fine  California  @  48c  =  .2400 

25%  fine  noil  @  44c  =  .1100 

Cost  per  pound    $  .5000 

17  oz.  stock  at  50c.  per  lb  =  $  .5312 

Plus  16%  shrinkage  in  length.. =  .0850 

$  .6162 

Manufacturing  cost: 

2  loom  work  +  16%  shrinkage  in 

length   =  .2820 

Mill  cost    $  .8982 


Fancy  Printed  Designs. 

This  article  on  broadcloths  would  not  be  complete  unless  mention  was 
made  of  the  fancy  printed  design  broadcloths.  The  French  and  German 
manufacturers  turn  out  very  handsome  printed  broadcloths  in  very  at- 
tractive designs  which  are  often  sold  to  the  best  trade,  and  the  unwary 
consumer,  not  knowing  the  difference  between  a  printed  fabric  and  a  fancy 
wool-dyed  broadcloth,  is  attracted  by  the  design,  and  the  magic  word  "im- 
ported," and  pays  a  big  price  for  the  garment.  In  justice,  however,  to 
these  printed  cloths  the  writer  must  confess  that  he  has  made  exposure 
tests  of  a  few  patterns  of  good  quality,  and  in  the  darker  combinations 
the  tests  were  satisfactory,  but,  of  course,  not  nearly  so  good  as  a  stock- 
dyed  color.  The  main  thing  to  guard  against  in  the  printed  cloth  is  the 
low  grades  made  with  cotton  warp  and  shoddy  fillings,  which  are  dyed 
with  cheap  dyestuffs,  and  which  will  not  stand  any  exposure  tests  without 
fading  a  good  deal. 

These  printed  fabrics  are  woven  and  finished  in  the  white  the  same 
as  an  ordinary  broadcloth,  but  are  usually  made  from  cheaper  materials. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


301 


The  design  is  printed  by  rollers  similar  to  the  printing  of  cotton  goods. 
Fancy  broadcloths,  having  a  woven  pattern,  are  a  semi-piece  dye,  that  is, 
the  yarns  which  compose  the  dark  threads  of  the  design  are  dyed  in  the 
wool  before  carding  or  spinning  with  a  fast  dyestuff  which  will  stand  the 
steaming  and  the  cross  dyeing.  The  pattern  is  woven  in  the  usual  way 
in  the  ordinary  woolen  loom.  The  cloth,  after  being  fulled,  napped  and 
steamed,  is  then  dyed  like  an  ordinary  piece  dye,  the  undyed  yarns  of 
the  design  being  dyed  to  the  desired  shade,  while  the  black  or  dark 
yarns  are  but  slightly  affected  by  the  dyes.  This  method  is  not  very  sat- 
isfactory, and  the  range  of  designs  is  very  limited. 


BEDFORD  CORD  FOR  MEN'S  WEAR 

Double  and  Twist  Goods. 

Bedford  cord  is  used  extensively  for  riding  breeches  in  our 
cities,  and  even  m#re  so  in  England,  where  it  is  also  used 
by  sportsmen  for  shooting  breeches.  It  is  a  fabric  especially  fit- 
ted for  bar.!  service,  as  it  is  strong,  elastic,  and  the  hard-twisted  face  warp 
yarn  gives  it  the  necessary  wearing  qualities.  This  cloth  is  always  madt 
with  double  and  twist  yarns  for  warp  i^  contrasted  colors,  such  as  drab  and 
white,  olive  and  white  and  similar  tones  of  color  which  do  not  show  signs 
of  being  soiled  or  of  dust  very  readily.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  it 
has  been  such  a  fashionable  fabric  with  both  horsemen  and  sportsmen. 
These  Bedford  cords,  and,  in  fact,  all  fabrics  made  from  double  and  twist 


16-Ounce  Bedford  Cord. 


yarns,  are  hard  cloths  to  produce  perfectly,  as  the  least  variation  of  size  in 
the  yams  before  twisting  will  show  up  very  distinctly  after  finishing.  No 
mill  should  think  of  making  this  class  of  goods  unless  it  is  especially  well 
eouipped  in  the  card  room.  It  should  also  be  supplied  with  good  mules, 
twisters,  etc.  As  the  production  of  th  ese  fine  yarns  in  the  carding  and 
spinning  rooms  Is  necessarily  slow,  the  mill  should  have  extra  sets  of 
cards  and  extra  mules  If  it  wants  to  keep  its  full  complement  of  looms  run- 
ning.  The  ordinary  carding  and  spinning  equipment  which  would  keep  the 


302 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


looms  busy  on  the  average  single  yarns  would  not  keep  more  than  60 
per  cent  of  them  running  on  these  double  and  twist  yarns. 

The  Card  Room. 

The  card  room  should  also  be  equipped  with  balling  machines  and  creels 
instead  of  all  Apperly  feeds  throughout,  which  will  make  more  level  yarns. 
It  also  requires  great  care  in  selecting  the  wool  to  produce  a  nice  even  eight- 
run  yarn  which  will  spin  well  and  be  f  ree  from  twists.  All  wools  must  be 
carefully  sorted  and  the  finest  picked  out  to  make  such  yarns.  The  term 
used  in  England  for  such  a  grade  of  stock  is  "picklock"  wool,  meaning  that 
the  finest  and  most  uniform  locks  of  wool  are  selected  or  picked  out  of  the 
fleece.  Sometirx^es  a  fine  l-30s  or  140s  worsted  yarn  is  used  for  the  white 
thread  instead  of  a  wool  spun  yarn,  and  by  this  means  the  manufacturei 
is  enabled  to  run  more  looms  than  if  he  undertook  to  card  and 
spin  all  the  yarns.  This  would  apply  to  those  mills  which  do 
not  have  any  extra  carding  and  spinning  machinery.  In  the  twisting  of 
the  yarns  the  best  results  can  be  obtained  by  spooling  the  threads  first 
on  spools — 1  thread  of  dark  color  and  1  thread  of  white — and  twisting  from 
the  spools.  This  gives  much  better  t  esults,  the  tension  on  the  yarns  it 
more  even,  and  the  added  cost  of  spooling  is  more  than  made  up  for  by 
the  more  perfect  twist  and  also  by  an  increased  production  from  the  twist- 
ers. After  the  yarns  are  twisted  it  is  necessary  to  inspect  all  the  bobbins, 
and  all  irregular  or  imperfect  ones  should  be  laid  aside. 

Construction  of  Fabric. 

The  single  yarns  for  twist  are  first  spun  on  the  mule  left  twist,  and  when 
twisted  are  mad©  right  twist,  22  to  24  turns  per  inch.  Two  weaves  are  here 
given.  In  weave  No.  1  the  lift  of  the  harness  is  somewhat  uneven,  being  8 
up  and  4  down  in  every  alternate  pick  and  the  other  being  6  up  and  6  down. 
Th«  weave  No.  2  shows  a  uniform  lift  of  7  up  and  5  down.  The  cloth  as 
illustrated  was  woven  with  weave  No.  1,  as  it  makes  the  cleaner  cut  or 
the  two  weaves.  The  four  warp  threads  which  form  the  cord  are  wov- 
en what  is  called  a  warp  face,  that  is,  each  thread  is  carried  on  face  over 
three  picks  before  it  is  stitched  down  by  the  fourth  filling  pick,  each  thread 
being  stitched  or  held  down  alternately.  The  cut  is  formed  by  two  threads 
single  yarn,  being  woven  the  opposite  of  the  face  threads,  while  each  al- 
termate  filling  thread  floats  under  the  four  cord  threads,  and  it  is  this  thread 
which  causes  the  cord  to  rise  up  by  the  extra  contraction  in  the  finishing 
process.  Every  alternate  filling  thread  being  woven  plain,  is,  therefore,  very 
tightly  woven  in  with  the  warp  threads,  and  consequently  will  not  con- 
tract in  finishing  as  quickly  as  the  thread  which  floats  underneath  the  cord. 

Goods  may  be  fulled  in  the  grease,  but  it  is  preferable  to  scour  first  and 
dry.  Then  have  the  pieces  carefully  inspected  for  threads  out  or  imperfec- 
tions and  knots  which  should  be  removed.  Imperfections  and  ends  out 
should  be  carefully  repaired  by  a  competent  sewer,  then  the  goods  are 
ready  fer  fulling.  Some  manufacturers  may  think  that  all  this  extra  work 
will  cost  too  much,  but  it  pays  well  to  have  it  done  before  the  goods  are  full- 
ed, as  it  is  often  impossible  to  repair  imperfections  afterward.  An  allow- 
ance 9t  one-eighth  of  a  yard  each  on  several  imperfections  will  cost  more 
than  the  extra  labor  and  expense  of  scouring.  Pull  to  56  inches  inside  list- 
ing, and  dry  at  57  inches.  Steam  brush,  shear  and  press  medium  pres- 
sure. 


Layout: 

4,201  ends. 
10-6  reed. 
48  picks. 

70%*  Inside  listing:  plus  1"  for  listing  = 

71%"  over  all. 
Straight  draw  on  12  harness. 
2  haineeses  extra  for  listing. 


Pattern: 

2.     8X8  run  twist. 

2.     4   run  single  right  twist. 

2.     8   X    8  run  twist. 

2.800    ends    8X8    run    twist  24 

♦  iirnja    risrht    4-  take-up 

4.16   runs  =    6.99  oz. 


Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary  303 


1,400    ends    4    run    single  right 

twist    3.50  oz. 

10.49  oz. 

10.49    oz.    warp    -f    10%  weaving 

take-up   =  11.54  oz. 

Filling: 

71  X  48  =  3.408       4Mj  run  filling 

=  7.57  oz.  -f-  10%  take-up...  =    8.32  oz. 

Loom  weight   19.86  oz. 

Finished    weight   16.00  oz. 

COST  CALCULATIONS. 
7.69  oz.  8  X  8  twist  yarn  -f-  8%  waste 

allowance   =  8.3  oz. 

3.85  oz  4  run  single  yarn  -f  6%  waste 

allowance   =  4  oz. 

8.32  oz.    41/^    run   filling  yarn    -f  8% 

waste  allowance   =  9  oz. 


Slock  used: 

8  run  twisting. 

Fine  picklock  wool  (Q)  68c.  per  lb. 
Single  yarns. 

Fine  medium  grade  @  56c.  per  lb. 

8.3  oz.  twist  @  68c.  per  lb  =  %  .352? 

4  oz.  single  warp  @  56c.  per  lb.=  .1400 

9  oz.  filling  @  56c.  per  lb  =  .315C 

$  .8077 

Manufacturing: 

48  picks   @   $.0082  =  $  .3926 

Extra,  cost,  D.  and  T.  yarns....  =  .0500 

Mill  cost    $1.2503 

Weave  Chain  No.  1.  Weave  Chain  No.  2. 

■■□□■■■flUDHH  }      ^  ■■□□■■□■□■□■■h^  'z 

■□■□■□■□■□■a  1  p2  ^  K 

□■□■□■□■□■□B    1   ^  □■□□■■■■□■□■^ 


26-OUNCE  TWIST  OVERCOATING 

A  comparative  cost  calculation  between  an  all-wool  fabric  and  a  shod- 
dy cotton  mix,  both  having  the  same  design  and  structure,  follows.  This 
is  a  study  in  manipulation  of  fabrics,  showing  a  high-grade  overcoating 
made  from  pure  wool  by  a  mill  that  never  uses  a  pound  of  any  substi- 
tute, and  beside  this  is  shown  the  same  fabric  structure  made  by 
another  mill  out  of  shoddy,  cotton  and  wool.  The  reproduction  is  so 
perfect  a  copy  that  it  would  deceive  anyone  except  a  cloth  expert.  Cer- 
tainly, the  purchasing  public  would  not  see  a  difference  in  the  appearance 
of  the  fabrics,  yet  the  one  cloth  costs  exactly  twice  as  much  as  the  other. 
The  particulars  and  cost  calculations  of  both  fabrics  are  given,  also  pho- 
tographic illustrations. 

This  was  a  case  of  unintentional  piracy  on  the  part  of  Mill  No.  2, 
which  made  the  low-grade  fabric.    The  mill  received  the  sample  from  its 


26-Ounce  Twist  Overcoating. 

selling  agent  with  instructions  to  reproduce  it  at  a  stated  price.  The  mill 
did  so,  not  knowing  until  several  months  afterward  that  Mill  No.  1,  mak- 
ing high-grade  goods,  was  manufacturing  the  exact  style  in  their  all-wool 
fabric,  and  the  singular  thing  about  it  was  the  fact  that  the  mills  were 
within  50  miles  of  each  other  and  the  owners  very  friendly. 

The  selling  agent  claimed  that  he  received  the  clipping  from  a  buyer, 
who  stated  that  it  was  an  imported  cloth  which  he  wanted  to  have  copied 


m 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


into  a  cheap  cloth.  It  is  quite  possible  that  these  statements  were  cor- 
rect, that  it  was  not  a  case  of  piracy  but  a  coincidence  of  two  mills 
getting  hold  of  an  imported  fabric  through  a  pattern  agency,  and  both 
reproducing  it  in  their  respective  grades.  Whether  it  was  a  case  of 
piracy  or  a  coincidence,  it  was  a  hard  matter  to  convince  manufactur- 
er No.  1  that  manufacturer  No.  2  did  not  steal  his  fabric  and  pattern, 
producing  it  in  an  inferior  grade  with  the  intention  of  underselling  him, 
and  the  old  cordial  relations  were  considerably  strained  for  some  time. 

Layout    and    calculations    for    the    all-wool       Stock  for  grey  mixture: 

cloth:  10%  light  blue  stain  wool,  per.  lb..l 

2,100   ends,    gi^— Va— V*    in   dent.  tlZ^  "^l^'^?  ^J"^  "^^^^  ^''''^ \ I'^^''- 

701^"  inside  listing  plus  1"  for  listing  =  ^0%  black  fine  med.  wool  J 

711/^"  over  all.  White  for  twisting: 

Draft  on  14  harness.  Fine  med.   wool  5€c. 

24  picks.  Black  filling: 

14  14  14  14  14  Fi^^  "^^d-  w^^l  56c. 

13  13  13  13  13  2,100  ends         run  +  6%  take-up 

S5RS5SH  nWVV  in  twisting   =    9.16  oz. 

10  10  10  10  10  2,100  ends  3%  run  +  6%  take-up 

9    9    9    9    9  in  twisting   =    5.92  oz. 

SSS52SS          77777'^^^^  711/2"  X  24  picks  =  1.716  21^  run 

&  Q  Q  6  6  2-ply   -\-    6%   take-up  in  twist- 

5  5  5  5  5  ing   =  14.58  OZ. 

44444   

33333  2q  fifi  07 

■nHBnriB     22222  ^t/.oo  oz. 

11111  Plus  10%  take-up  in  weaving:..  =    2.96  oz. 

FRONT.  Loom  weight    32.62  oz. 

Warp  yarn:  Finished  weight  26  oz. 

21/^   run,  grey  mix.,  left  twist.  32.62    oz.    woven    weight    +  10% 

3%   run  white,  left  twist.  waste  allowance  =  36.24  oz.  (Q) 

Warp  yarn  twisted  8  turns  right  twist  per  56c.   per  lb  =  $1.2684 

inch.     6%  take-up  in  twisting.  Manufacturing  cost: 

T..,,.^.  24  picks  @  $.0106   =  .2544 

^i^^in^-  Extra  for  twisting  32  oz.   @  2^c. 

21^  run  black,  left  twist.  per  lb  0500 

Filling  yarn  twisted   6  turns  right  twist   

per  inch.     6%   take-up  in  twisting.  Mill  cost   $1.5728 

This  price  could  be  reduced  somewhat  by  using  a  percentage  of 
good  noil  and  worsted  waste,  but,  as  mentioned  before,  the  mill  never 
used  anything  but  straight  wools  in  all  of  its  fabrics. 


26-OllNCE  COnON  AND  SHODDY  TWIST  OVERCOATING 

A  Comparative  Study. 

These  figures  show  that  the  low-grade  fabric  costs  less  than  half 
the  high-grade  all  wool,  the  manufacturing  cost  being  rated  the  same  in 
both,  and  the  only  difference  being  in  the  cost  of  stock.  The  all-wool  stock 
costs  $126.84,  and  the  low  grade  48.06  cents,  a  difference  of  78.78  cents 
a  yard. 

The  manufacturing  details  are  practically  the  same  in  both  fabrics, 
but  in  picking  and  oiling  the  cotton  mix  care  should  be  taken  to  keep 
the  cotton  as  free  as  possible  from  the  oil  emulsion,  because  if  cotton 
gets  wet  it  will  cause  nibs  in  carding.  A  good  plan  is  to  pick  and  oil 
the  wool  and  shoddy  together,  then  add  the  cotton  in  layers,  first  a 
layer  of  wool  and  shoddy,  then  a  layer  of  cotton,  until  the  entire  batch 
is  laid  down,  running  the  lot  through  the  picker  twice  to  insure  a  good 
mixture. 

The  mule  draft  on  the  all-wool  fabric  should  be  %  to  i,  and  on  the 
cotton  mix  about  2-3  draft  for  the  twisting  yarn  and  fully  that  on  the  IJ 
run  black  filling.  Previous  to  fulling,  the  cotton  mix  fabric  should  be 
given  one  run  on  back  and  two  runs  on  face  on   wire   napper,  not  to 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  305 


raise  a  nap  but  just  scratch  it  well  to  soften  the  cloth.  Full  both  fab- 
rics to  56  inches  and  scour  dry  at  57  inches.  Brush  well,  shear  ojEf  any 
long  hairs,  and  press  cotton  fabric  very  light  with  the  all-wool  medium  pres- 
sure. 


26-Ounce  Cotton  ajid  Shoddy  Twist  Overcoating. 


Layout: 

2,100  ends  ^Vz—Vz—Va.  in  dent. 

701/^"  inside  listing  plus  1"  for  listing:  = 
711/^"  over  all. 

Draft  and  weave  the  same  as  the  all- 
wool  faoric. 


Warp  yarn: 

IVi   run  grey  mix.,   left  twist,   soft  spun. 

3%    run  white,   left  twist,   soft  spun. 
Warp   yarn   twisted   to   right,    8   turns  per 
inch. 

6%    take-up  in  twisting. 


Filling  yarn: 

Black  1^  run,  right  twist,  spun  soft. 


Stock  for  ly^  run  grey  mixture: 
10%    black   cotton   peeler  comber 


waste  No.  1   @  11  ^c  =  $  .0113 

20%    white   cotton   peeler  comber 

waste  No.   1   @   ll^c  =  .0225 

15%  white  fine  med.  wool  @  56c.=  .0840 

10%  white  fine  med.  noils  @  40c.=  .0400 

45%   black  shoddy   @   13c  =  .0585 


Cost  per  pound    $  .2163 

Stock  for  3%  run  white  yarn: 

40%    white   cotton   peeler  comber 

waste  No.   1    @    ll%c  =  $  .0450 

15%  white  fine  med.  wool  @  56c.=  .0840 

45%  white  fine  med.  noils  (Q)  40c.=  .1800 


Cost  per  pound    $  .3090 


Stock  for  black  1 run  filling  yarn: 
25%    black   cotton    peeler  comber 

waste  No.  1  @   ll^^c  =  $  .0281 

25%    black    garnetted    waste  @ 

24c  =  .0600 

50%  black  shoddy  (g)  13c  =  .0650 


Cost  per  pound    $  .1531 

2,100  ends  21/2  run  -f-  6%  twist- 
ing take-up  =  9.16  oz.   -f  10% 

weaving  take-up   =  10.07  oz. 

2,100  ends  3  3^  run  -f  6%  twist- 
ing take-up  =  5.92  oz.   -f  10% 

weaving  take-up   ==    6.51  oz. 

711/2"  X  24  picks  =  1.716  threads 
1^  run  =  13.75  oz.  -f  10% 
weaving  take-up   =  15.12  oz. 


Loom  weight   31.70  oz. 

Finished  weight,   2514  oz. 

IVz  run  grey  mixture  10.07  oz.  -f- 
15%  waste  allowance  =  11.85 
oz.   @   $.2163  per  lb  =  $  .1602 

3%  run  white  6.51  oz.  -f  15% 
waste  allowance  =  7.23  oz.  (g) 
$.0390  per  lb  =  .1396 

ll^  run  black  15.12  oz.  -f  20% 
waste  allowance  =  18.90  oz.  @ 
$.1531  per  lb  =  .1808 


$  .4806 

Manufacturing  cost: 

24  picks  (5)  $.0106  per  pick  =  .2544 

Extra  for  twisting    .0250 


Mill  cost   ,   $  .7600 


KERSEYS 

It  was  stated  recently  in  an  article  on  the  manufacture  of  meltons 
that  they  were  to  a  large  extent  made  in  the  finishing  room,  and  while 
that  was  true  in  a  sense,  it  is  even  more  so  when  we  consider  the 
manufacture  of  kerseys.  There  is  no  fabric  made  of  wool  in  which  the 
process  of  finishing  plays  such  an  important  part  as  in  the  manufacture 
of  kerseys  and  broadcloths.  These  fabrics,  although  known  or  classified 
as  two  different  materials,  are  really  the  same.  Broadcloths  are  light 
and  medium  weight  goods,  while  kerseys  are  practically  the  same  cloth 


306 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


with  a  heavy  backing  yarn  attached  to  it  to  increase  the  weight,  the 
finishing  processes  being  the  same  in  both  cases. 

The  Better  Grades  of  Kerseys 

are  usually  made  in  what  is  known  as  a  double-plain  weave,  using  a  large 
number  of  ends  per  inch  both  in  warp  and  filling.  The  face  and  back- 
ing yarns  are  the  same  quality  and  counts,  and  the  fabric  is  called  a 
"through-and-through"  cloth;  that  is  it  has  no  backing  cloth,  and  although 
it  is  a  double  fabric,  the  two  cloths  are  so  interlaced  that  it  is  as  solid 
as  a  single  woven  cloth.  These  fine- grade  kerseys  are  laid  in  the  loom 
from  90  to  100  inches  in  width,  and  as  there  is  a  large  amount  of  fulling, 
both  in  length  and  width,  it  makes  a  very  firm  piece  of  goods,  with  a 
smooth  and  velvety  nap  which  will  not  rough  up.  These  high-grade  ker- 
seys are  often  finished  in  a  dull  manner,  that  is  without  the  steam  luster- 
ing.    Some  buyers  may  prefer  the  dull  finish  and  others  the  luster. 

The  medium-priced  goods  are  usually  woven  with  a  fine  face  warp, 
with  a  coarser  yarn  attached  on  the  back,  two  threads  face  yarn  and 
one  thread  backing.  There  is  no  back  filling.  This  is  a  semi-double 
cloth,  and  the  construction  allows  of  using  a  cheaper  yarn  for  the  back 
warp.  The  two  face  warp  threads  interlacing  with  the  filling  yarn  make 
a  firm  and  closely  threaded  face,  which  enables  the  finisher  to  get  a 
smooth,  well-felted  face  and  to  work  up  a  good  close  nap  in  the  process 
of  napping. 

It  should  be  emphasized  here  that  while  the  manufacture  of  kerseys 
in  any  quality  is  comparatively  easy  to  the  experienced  manufacturer, 
there  is  many  a  snag  which  a  man  not  accustomed  to  such  goods  may 
run  against,  and  which  may  cause  serious  loss  and  also  disappointment  in 
the  resultant  cloth  unless  guarded  against. 


A  Fine,  Good  Felting  Wool 

should  be  used,  along  with  a  fine  noil  and  shoddy,  but  a  fine  merino  or  Thi- 
bet shoddy  is  the  best.  Many  manufacturers  use  a  small  percentage  of 
fine  Texas  and  California  wools,  Australian  noils  and  fine  shoddy  for 
the  face  yarns  and  a  cheaper  stock  for  the  backing  threads.  A  standard 
construction  and  weave  is  here  given  for  such  goods. 

One  of  the  m.ost  important  things  is  to  secure  the  services  of  a  finish- 
er who  is  thoroughly  experienced  in  handling  this  style  of  goods,  and 
have  the  mill  equipped  with  all  the  necessary  machinery  for  finishing, 
as  so  much  depends  upon  the  fulling,  napping,  cropping,  steaming,  etc., 
in  the  finishing  process.  A  good  finisher  is  one  of  the  essentials  neces- 
sary to  success. 

It  can  be  said  without  any  fear  of  contradiction  that  there  is  no 
other  cloth  made  where  so  much  depends  upon  the  proper  handling  in 
the  finishing  as  a  kersey,  and  there  is  no  other  cloth  in  which  there  is 
so  much  difference  between  the  raw  fabric  as  it  comes  from  the  loom 
and  the  same  piece  after  being  properly  finished.  It  comes  from  the  loom 
thready  and  loose  in  texture,  no  luster  or  life  being  left  in  it.  It  is  an  un- 
sightly rag  of  cloth,  and  to  the  inexperienced  eye  it  does  not  seem  possible 
to  make  an  attractive  cloth  out  of  it.  But  let  a  skilful  finisher,  provided  with 
the  necessary  machinery,  commence  operations  on  it  and  it  gradually  be- 
comes a  cloth  of  beauty  and  elegance,  fit  to  clothe  the  most  fastidious 
dresser  in  the  nation.  It  has  firmness  and  closeness  of  texture,  yet  is  soft 
to  handle,  as  smooth  as  velvet  and  lustrous  as  silk.  All  this  change  in  ap- 
pearance comes  from  the  action  of  soap  and  water  in  fulling,  and  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


307 


after  processes  of  napping,  cropping  and  steaming,  in  combination  with 
the  skill  and  brains  of  a  finisher. 

In  the  Fulling  of  Kerseys, 

or  any  similar  fabric  requiring  a  long  fulling,  it  is  necessary  to  use  a 
good,  heavy-bodied  soap  made  from  tallow  and  palm  oil,  and  of  sufficient 
alkali  strength  to  cut  the  grease  in  the  goods  and  to  hold  it  in  suspen- 
sion, or,  in  other  words,  saponified,  during  the  whole  time  of  fulling.  If 
the  soap  becomes  dead,  that  is  if  the  alkali  contained  in  the  soap  is 
overcome  by  the  grease  in  the  goods  or  is  neutralized  by  an  acid  condi- 
tion of  any  shoddy  in  the  stock  mixture,  then  the  goods  will  not  full,  and 
it  will  be  impossible  to  get  that  solidity  of  cloth  and  thick,  close  feel  so 
necessary  for  a  kersey  finish.  If  the  soap,  through  any  cause,  becomes 
dead  and  watery,  another  piece  of  similar  goods  may  be  run  into  the  full- 
ing mill  with  the  goods  already  in  the  machine,  which  will  absorb  the 
excess  of  water,  and  then  a  pail  or  two  of  a  heavier  and  stronger  alkali 
soap  may  be  added  to  the  pieces,  which  will  liven  up  the  soap  that  has 
been  spent,  but  the  safer  plan  is  to  take  the  goods  out  of  the  fulling  mill 
and  scour  off  the  spent  soap,  extract  and  dry,  then  re-enter  the  pieces 
in  the  fulling  mill,  and  as  they  are  now  presumably  clean  and  free  from 
any  acids,  they  can  be  fulled  with  a  soap  that  is  nearly  neutral. 

If  a  pure  tallow  soap  is  used  it  is  extremely  hard  to  scour  it  out  of 
heavy  fulled  fabrics,  some  tallow  soaps  being  even  harder  to  eliminate 
than  others,  owing  to  the  amount  of  glycerine  left  in  the  tallow.  Some 
soap  manufacturers  do  not  extract  the  glycerine  from  the  tallow,  and 
such  soaps  are  very  hard  to  wash  out  of  the  goods.  A  properly-made  soap, 
containing  about  50  per  cent  of  tallow  and  50  per  cent  of  palm  oil  is  an 
excellent  soap  for  kerseys  and  meltons,  or  any  heavy  fulled  cloth,  and  it 
will  scour  out  readily,  unless  the  water  used  is  very  hard  and  contains 
carbonate  of  lime  or  other  carbonates  which  are  very  apt  to  set  the  soap 
in  the  goods,  causing  uneven  napping  and  cloudiness  in  the  dyeing.  Soft 
water,  when  it  can  be  obtained,  is  always  the  best  to  use  in  either  the 
finishing  or  dyeing  of  woolen  goods. 

Soap  is  very  liable  to  adulteration,  and  is  often  mixed  with  resin, 
silicate  of  soda,  China  clay,  excess  of  water  and  other  ingredients  which 
help  to  give  it  weight. 

A  Few  Simple  Soap  Tests 

are  here  given  which  may  help  the  manufacturer  to  determine  the  quality 
of  the  soap  he  is  using.  The  excess  of  water  can  easily  be  ascertained 
by  reducing  a  given  weight  of  the  soap  to  shavings  and  drying  them  thor- 
oughly until  they  lose  all  moisture.  The  dried  weight  will  indicate  the 
amount  of  water  evaporated,  and  the  difference  in  weight  between  the 
original  soap  and  the  dried  product  will  be  the  amount  of  water. 

If  50  grains  of  soap  is  dissolved  in  a  given  quantity  of  water,  and  then 
a  sufficient  amount  of  diluted  sulphuric  acid  or  acetic  acid  is  added  to 
neutralize  the  alkali,  the  tallow  or  grease  will  separate  from  the  water 
and  float  on  the  top,  while  the  earthy  adulterant  will  fall  to  the  bottom. 
This  grease  can  be  collected,  dried  and  reweighed,  and  the  difference  in 
weight  will  show  the  amount  of  adulteration.  Another  method  of  detect- 
ing foreign  adulterants  is  to  dissolve  a  given  quantity  of  the  soap  in  al- 
cohol, when  all  the  insoluble  foreign  matter  will  fall  to  the  bottom  of 
the  test  glass. 

In  the  napping  of  kerseys,  soft  water,  if  it  can  be  obtained,  is  always 
preferable.  The  cloth  is  put  on  the  napper  well  dampened,  as  without 
the  presence  of  water  the  fibres  would  break  and  cause  a  greater  loss  in 
the  process.    As  the  object  of  napping  is  to  raise  the  interlocked  and  felt- 


308 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ed  fibres,  straightening  them  out  on  the  face  of  the  cloth,  the  other  end 
of  the  wool  fibre  being  still  attached  to  the  body  of  the  cloth,  it  stands 
to  reason  that  this  can  best  be  accomplished  when  the  cloth  is  soft 
and  pliable.  That  water  has  this  effect  on  wool  can  easily  be  demon- 
strated by  the  fact  that  a  piece  of  wet  cloth  is  more  easily  torn  than  a 
dry  piece,  and  the  hygroscopic  properties  of  wool  are  such  that  a  piece  of 
cloth  can  without  even  feeling  wet  hold  as  much  as  30  per  cent  of  its 
weight  of  water.  This  can  easily  be  tested  by  weighing  a  piece  of  cloth 
as  it  comes  out  of  the  hydro-extractor  and  again  after  being  dried,  when 
it  will  be  found  that  the  average  piece  as  it  comes  out  of  the  extractor 
contains  about  30  per  cent  of  its  weight  of  water. 

It  has  been  noted  by  finishers  that  goods  which  are  not  thoroughly 
clean  will  not  rise  on  the  napper  and  finish  up  so  well  as  clean  pieces. 
This  has  been  attributed  to  the  grease  in  the  goods  preventing  the  free 
access  of  water  to  the  fibres,  and  the  result  is  a  fluffy  and  thin  nap.  It 
may  be  noted  here  that  all  heavy,  fulled  goods,  after  being  scoured  free 
from  soap,  etc.,  should  be  rolled  onto  a 

Solid  Roll  Under  Pressure, 

Just  as  they  come  out  of  the  extractor,  and  left  on  the  roll  for  24  homb 
at  least.  In  England  this  is  called  the  setting  process,  and  although  it 
may  appear  to  many  to  be  a  waste  of  time,  it  has  been  proved  by  practi- 
cal maunfacturers  that  goods  so  treated  will  not  lose  so  much  in  the  sub- 
sequent processes  of  finishing,  and  they  will  feel  much  better  when  fin- 
ished than  the  same  quality  of  goods  not  set  on  a  roll. 

The  object  of  napping  or  gigging  is  to  raise  the  fibres  in  such  a  man- 
ner and  to  such  an  extent  that  the  surface  of  the  cloth  is  entirely  cover- 
ed with  a  fur-like  nap.  This  process  was  formerly  done  by  a  machine 
called  a  gig,  which  consists  of  a  cylinder  filled  with  slats  which  are 
closely  set  with  teasels,  the  burr-like  product  of  a  plant.  This  cylinder 
makes  about  150  revolutions  per  minute,  and  it  revolves  in  the  contrary 
direction  to  that  in  which  the  cloth  travels,  and  as  the  latter  moves  slow- 
ly, it  offers  a  surface  of  great  raising  power.  The  amount  of  contact  be- 
tween the  goods  and  the  teasels  is  easily  regulated  by  means  of  a  rachet 
and  movable  roller.  Although  the  teasel  gig  is  now  superseded  by  the 
wire  napper,  in  the  earlier  stages  of  napping,  that  is  in  the  "breaking  in" 
of  a  piece,  many  finishers  claim  that  in  the  last  process  of  napping  the 
teasel  gig  is  better  than  any  wire  napper,  but  for  the  first  stages  of  nap- 
ping the  wire  napper  is  almost  entirely  used,  as  it  is  more  effective  and 
does  the  work  much  more  quickly.  All  heavy  fulled  cloths  like  kerseys  and 
broadcloths  are  napped  wet. 

As  there  is  less  waste  of  fibres  and  the  matted  and  entangled  fibres, 
softened  by  the  water,  are  more  easily  combed  out,  the  resultant  nap  is 
laid  down  close  to  the  surface.  In  the  ordinary  medium  grade  of  kerseys 
the  napping  is  usually  all  done  in  one  direction,  as  by  reversing  the  nap 
in  goods  containing  much  shoddy  it  would  result  in  quite  a  loss  of  stock, 
but  in  the  higher  grades  the  nap  is  reversed,  and  this  produces  a  thicker 
body  of  nap  and  a  superior  finish.  When  the  pieces  are  napped  sufficiently 
they  are  taken  to  the  cropping  shears,  still  in  a  wet  condition,  and  the 
nap  is  brushed  lightly  by  a  revolving  brush,  which  lifts  up  any  long  fi- 
bres that  are  cut  off,  the  object  being  to  obtain  a  close,  even  nap  like  a 
piece  of  velvet.  The  goods  are  then  put  onto  a  teasel  gig,  and  the  nap 
is  straightened  out  again  and  brushed  flat  before  being  put  into 

The  Steaming  Machine. 

The  steamer  is  a  machine  fitted  with  two  large  copper  cylinders  per- 
forated with  many  holes  to  allow  the  passage  of  steam  and  water.  The 
cloth  is  wound  tightly  onto  one  of  the  cylinders,  and  steam  at  40  pounds 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


309 


pressure  is  blown  through  the  cloth  for  some  time,  usually  10  to  15 
minutes,  then  cold  water  is  forced  through  the  goods  to  cool  them  off. 
The  cloth  is  then  wound  onto  the  second  cylinder,  thus  putting  the  end  of 
the  piece  which  was  outside  on  the  first  cylinder  inside  or  next  to  the 
cylinder  in  the  second  steaming.  Steam  is  then  blown  through,  as  in  the 
first  case,  and  followed  by  the  cold  water.  This  steam  boiling  and  cooling 
sets  the  cloth  and  imparts  to  it  a  good  luster.  The  goods  are  now  ready 
for  the  dyeing  process,  being  run  in  the  kettles  from  8  to  12  pieces  to  a 
kettle,  care  being  taken  to  lun  the  pieces  so  that  the  water  will  be  shed 
from  them  in  the  direction  that  the  nap  is  laid. 

The  Dyeing  Process. 
The  drying  process  is  usually  done  on  a  machine  heated  by  steam 
coils,  the  cloth  being  run  onto  a  link  chain  provided  with  fine  steel  pins  set 
about  1/4  of  an  inch  apart.  This  chain  carries  the  cloth  through  the  ma- 
chine backward  and  forward  between  the  steam  heated  coils,  and  delivers 
it  thoroughly  dry  and  tentered  to  the  desired  width.  Many  finishers  do 
not  give  sufficient  care  to  the  drying  of  the  goods,  as  they  do  not  realize 
that  cloths  may  be  injured  by  being  dried  too  quickly,  especially  if  the 
cloth  is  not  sufficiently  extracted,  and  if  it  has  been  rinsed  off  in  the 
washer  with  a  hard  water  containing  lime,  etc.  If  the  drying  was  done 
by  the  natural  atmosphere  not  much  damage  would  result  from  such  ac- 
tion, although  it  would  give  hardness,  but  when  subjected  to  an  extreme 
heat,  with  so  much  superfiuous  water,  the  effect  is  to  scald  and  bake  the 
fibres,  and  burn  into  them  the  carbonates  contained  in  the  water,  which 
no  amount  of  after-treatment  can  remove.  After  drying,  the  goods  are 
brushed,  steamed  and  examined  for  knots  and  imperfections,  sheared  again, 
brushed,  sprayed  and  pressed. 


Layout  for  30-oz.  Medium  Grade  Kersey: 

Face  2,880  ends. 
Back  1,440  ends. 
Reed  9.6. 

80"  inside  Usting  plus  IV^"  for  listing  = 
811^"  over  all. 

Dressed: 

1  end  face  yarn,  314  ruii,  right  twist. 

1  end  backing  yarn,  11/2  run,  right  twist. 

1  end  face  yarn,  ZV4,  run,  right  twist. 

Filling: 

2%  run,  left  twist. 
36  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 
2,880  ends  3^4  run  warp  =  8.86  oz. 

+   10%  take-up   =    9.74  oz. 

1,440  ends  1^^  run  warp  =  9.60  oz. 

+   10%   take-up   =  10.56  oz. 

81%"    X    36    picks  2%run  = 

10.67  oz.   -\-   10%  take-up  =  11.73  oz. 


Filling: 

35%    fine  wool    @    50c  =  $  .1750 

65%   fine  shoddy   @    20c  =  .1300 


Cost  per  pound    $  .3050 

9.74  oz.   face  warp   +  15%  waste 

allowance   ==  11.45  oz. 

10.56  oz.  back  warp  -f  20%  waste 

allowance   =  13.20  oz. 

11.73  oz.  filling  -\-   20%  waste  al- 
lowance  =  14.60  oz. 


Stock  per  woven  yard   39.25  oz. 

11.45  oz.  face  warp   @    $.3640  per 

pound   =  $  .2605 

13.20  oz.   back  warp   @   $.2450  per 

pound   =  .2021 

14.60     oz.     filling     @     $.3050  per 

pound   =  .2783 


Loom  weight 


32.03  oz. 


$  .7409 

Cost  of  stock,  plus  16%   loss  In 

length   =  $  .8820 

Manufa«  turing  and  charges: 

36  pi'ks  @  $.0094  -\-  16%  =  .4000 


Finished   weight    30  oz. 

Shrinkage  in  length  16%  (finished). 

STOCK  MIXTURES. 

Face  warp: 

40%  fine  wool   @  50c  

20%  fine  noil  @  42c  

40%  fine  shoddy  @  20c  


Net   mill   cost   $1.2820 

Weaving  chain    and   draft  on   16  harnesses 
2  extra  for  listing. 


.2000 
.0840 
.0800 


Cost  per  pound 


Backing  warp: 

25%  fine  wool  @  50c.... 
75%   fine  shoddy   @  16c. 


:;:ost  per  pound 


$  .3640 
$ 
"$ 


.1250 
.1200 


.2450 


■□^□□□□D 

□□□■□■nn 

□□□□■■■■i 

FRONT 


16 


14 


10 


310  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


RATINE  CLOAKING 

181^  to  19  Ounces. 

Ratine  fabrics  for  dress  goods,  cloakings,  etc.,  have  been  very  popular' 
for  some  time,  and  almost  any  cloth  having  a  rough,  lumpy  surface  has  been 
sold  as  ratine.  The  fabric  here  illustrated  has  been  called  one  of  the  best 
worsted  filling  ratines  in  the  market,  being  made  from  a  pure  luster 
worsted  filling,  so-called  spiral  twist.  This  is  an  easy  cloth  to  make  and 
can  be  made  in  any  mill  having  broad  looms.  The  only  difficult  stage  of 
manufacture  is  in  the  fulling  of  the  goods,  and  great  care  must  be  exer- 
cised to  prevent  uneven  curl  effects  such  as  mill  wrinkles.  If  once  these 
are  formed,  it  is  impossible  to  get  them  out  again,  and  the  pieces  are  a 
"poor  second." 

These  mill  wrinkles  are  irregular  streaks  running  lengthways,  and  are 
usually  caused  by  running  the  pieces  too  long  in  the  filling  mills  without 
opening  out  the  folds.  Unless  the  goods  are  opened  out,  when  filling  they 
form  into  folds  or  creases,  and  the  pressure  of  the  rolls  will  soon  develop 
these  wrinkles,  and  no  amount  of  after- work  will  take  them  out.  If  no- 
ticed as  they  begin  to  form,  take  the  piece  and  snap  it  out,  in  order  to 
change  the  folds  or  creases,  and  it  is  a  good  plan  to  reverse  the  end  of 
the  piece  in  the  mill,  which  will  tend  to  prevent  any  further  formation  of 
wrinkles.  If  the  goods  are  too  dry  in  the  process  of  fulling,  it  has  a  tend- 
ency to  cause  wrinkles.  Have  just  enough  soap  on  the  pieces  so  that  when 
you  take  hold  of  a  piece  and  wring  it  hard,  the  live  soap  will  readily  show 
up  on  your  hands. 

Another  very 

Essential  Feature 

in  the  manufacture  of  this  class  of  goods  is  to  give  strict  attention  to  the 
direction  of  the  twist  in  the  yarns.  You  will  notice  in  this  layout  that 
the  yarns  are  made  twist  to  the  right,  while  the  twill  weave  runs  to  the 
left.  If  the  twill  was  woven  to  the  left,  the  curl  would  not  show  up  so  well 
on  the  face  of  the  goods,  and  stripe  effects  are  made  by  weaving  herring- 
bone twills,  one  twill  showing  up  the  curl  more  distinctly  than  the  other. 
Stripes  are  also  made  by  introducing  cords  in  the  warp  by  weave  effects. 
Very  good  ratine  cloths  are  also  made  with  cotton  warps  with  one  pick 
of  woolen  yarn  spun  soft  and  one  pick  of  the  worsted  yarn. 

In  this  cloaking  fabric  the  warp  yarn  is  taade  from  medium  wool 
combined  with  mill  waste  (  r  shoddy,  carded  and  spun  natural  color  as 
the  cloth  is  piece-dyed.  The  filling  yarn  is  a  No.  6  worsted  spun  soft, 
left  twist  made  from  imported  Lincoln  woo!  and  twisted  to  right  a  few 
turns  per  inch  on  the  twister  machine.  When  this  yarn  is  fulled  the 
worsted  will  curl  up  into  small  loops  or  curls  on  the  face  of  the  goods. 
These  goods  are  set  open  in  the  reed  so  that  they  will  full  readily.  The 
curl  effect  is  produced  by  the  filling  and  the  open  setting  of  the  warp  yarns. 
If  we  were  to  take  the  same  yarns  and  weave  another  cloth,  set  closer  in 
reed  and  having  less  filling,  the  result  would  be  entirely  different. 

It  is  almost  hard  to  believe  the  effects  that  can  be  produced  in  cloth 
by  the  finishing  process,  one  of  the  best  instances  being  an  ordinary  broad- 
cloth, which,  as  it  comes  from  the  loom,  is  thready  and  unsightly,  meas- 
uring about  90  inches  in  width,  and  if  placed  alongside  of  a  finished 
piece,  no  one  but  a  practical  man  would  recognize  the  least  resemblance 
between  them.  The  one  raw,  thready  and  loose;  the  other,  lustrous, 
velvety  and  smart,  yet  the  change  is  effected  solely  by  the  amount  of 
fulling,  napping,  steata  boiling  and  cropping.  The  quality  of  the  water 
also  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  finish  of  the  cloth,  more  especially  in 
fine  woolens  r.nd  wor':ted  goods,  as  any  impairment  in  the  quality  is  more 
readily  detected  on  fine  goods,  but  whether  the  manufacturer  is  making 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


311 


fine  goods  in  fancies  or  elieap  piece- dye  goods,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a 
good  supply  of  pure  water  in  order  to  remove  all  impurities,  such  as  oils, 
dyestuffs  from  the  goods,  and  to  obtain  a  bright,  smart  appearance. 

If  possible,  all  water  used  in  finishing  should  give  a  good  lather  with 
soap.  This  is  one  of  the  most  essential  qualities,  and  when  it  possesses 
this  quality  it  is  known  as  "soft  water."  Hard  water  is  due  to  the  pres- 
ence of  lime  and  magnesia  salt,  which  decompose  soap  and  destroy  its 
cleansing  properties.  The  degree  of  hardness  is  usually  reckoned  by 
what  is  known  as  Dr.  Clark's  soap  test,  which  is  made  by  dissolving  curd 
soap  in  alcohol  and  making  it  of  such  strength  that  32  decimeters  (a  deci- 
meter equals  10  grains  of  water)  will  produce  a  lather  when  added  to 
1,000  grains  of  water,  prepared  by  dissolving  16  grains  of  calcic  carbonate 
in  a  gallon  of  distilled  water. 

The  soap  solution  is  now  poured  from  a  decimeter  bounette  into  a 
bottle  containing  1,000  grains  of  the  water  to  be  tested,  which  is  occasion- 
ally agitated,  and  the  soap  solution  is  added  until  a  lather  is  obtained 
which  remains  unbroken  all  over  the  surface  for  several  minutes.  The 
degree  of  hardness  can  now  be  reckoned  by  Dr.  Clark's  table,  as  follows: 


Soap  test.  Decimeter  Degree 

measures  required.  Hardness. 

1.4  0 

5.4  2 

9.6  4 

13.6  6 

17.5  8 


From  this  table  it  will  be  seen  that  a  sample  of  1,000  grains  oi  water 
which  requires  9.6  decimeters  of  the  aoap  solution  to  be  added  before  a 
lather  is  formed  is  4  degrees  of  hardness.  When  water  is  over  6  degrees 
it  is  known  as 

Hard  Water 

and  is  unfit  for  scouring  purposes  until  it  has  been  softened  by  the  addi- 
tion of  some  chemical  such  as  an  alkali,  preferably  potassium  in  some  form, 
or  the  introduction  of  ammonia  in  the  scouring  bath.  The*  thin  scum 
which  shows  on  the  surface  of  such  hard  waters  when  treated  with  soap 
is  composed  of  calcium  and  magnesium  stearates.  This  greasy  paste 
so  adheres  to  the  surface  of  the  cloth  that  it  is  hard  to  thoroughly  free 
it,  unless  ammonia  is  added  to  the  bath,  and  every  mill  which  has  hard 
water  should  always  use  ammonia  in  the  scouring  bath  or  overcome  the 
hardness  of  the  water  by  previous  treatment. 

The  writer  would  recommend  all  manufacturers  to  have  a  test  made 
of  the  water  by  any  of  the  textile  schools  in  their  neighborhood,  and  ij 
the  proper  means  are  taken  to  remove  any  hardness  of  the  water  it  would 
save  them  a  great  many  barrels  of  soap  every  year,  as  many  millions  of 
pounds  of  soap  are  wasted  every  year  by  using  hard  water  for  domestic 
and  manufacturing  purposes.  In  the  finishing  of  this  ratine  cloaking,  use 
plenty  of  warm  water  when  rinsing  the  soap  off  in  first  scour,  then  add 
more  soap  to  the  washer,  with  a  liberal  amount  of  ammonia,  which  will 
thoroughly  saponify  the  soap,  making  a  good  lather,  and  will  bring  the 
goods  out  lofty  and  bright  in  luster. 

This  cloth  is  dyed  in  a 

Variety  of  Colors. 

black,  blue,  various  shades  of  browns  and  olives,  fawns,  also  fancy  shades 
for  misses'  coats.  Full  to  56  inches  wide,  scour,  extract,  and  piece-dye 
to  shade.  Dry  to  57  inches,  steam  and  brush  slightly  to  lift  any  coarse 
hairs  on  face  and  shear  off,  but  see  that  the  blades  are  set  high  enough 
so  as  not  to  cut  the  curls  off.  Press  very  light,  and  steam  on  face  afterward 
to  soften  the   curl.    Goods  to  finish  loom  length. 


312  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Layout: 

1,000  ends. 
Reed:  7—2. 
71"  over  all. 
20  picks. 
Woven  4  harness, 


twill  to  left. 


■una  4 


Warp  stock: 

20%  medium  wool  @  44c  =  $  .0880 

40%  mill  waste  @  8c  =  .0320 

40%  shoddy   (§)  10c  =  .0400 

Cost  per  pound    $  .1600 

Stock  for   5   run   twisting   thread   is  fine 

wool  @  56c.  per  pound. 
Filling: 

6s  lustre  worsted. 
5   run   wool  thread. 

Both    of   the   above   are   twisted   3    to  4 
turns  per  inch. 

CALCULATIONS. 
1,000  ends  warp  1  run  =  10  oz. 

-f-  10%  loom  take-up   =  11.00  oz. 

No  allowance  is  made  here  for 
this  cost  is  offset  by  the  fact  that  I 
yarn,  hence  the  cost  of  carding  and 


Filling: 

71"  X  20  picks  =  1,420. 

1,420  threads  6s  +  6%  take-up  in 
twisting  and  1,420  threads  5 
run  -f'  10%  take-up  in  twist- 
ing =  10.33  oz.  -f  10%  loom 
take-up   =  11.36  oz. 

Loom  weight    22.36  oz. 

Finished  weight  18^  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Warp: 

11  oz.  warp  -f  15%  waste  allow- 
ance =  13  oz.  @  16c.  per  lb..=  $  .1300 

Filling: 

7.09  oz.  6s  lustre  +  10%  loom 
take-up  7.79  oz.  -f  8%  waste 
allowance  =  8.4  oz.  @  72c.  per 
lb  =  .3780 

3.24  oz.  5  run  wool  -f-  10%  loom 
take-up  =  3.56  oz.  -f  10%  waste 
allowance  =  3.95  oz.  @  56c.  per 
lb  =  .1382 

$  .6462 

Manufacturing  cost: 

20  picks  @   $.0110    =  .2200 

Mill  cost    $  .8662 

cost  of  twisting  the  filling  yarns,  but 
^.4  ounces  of  the  filling  yarn  is  bought 
spinning  is  saved  on  that  amount. 


BLUE  MELTONS,  GOVERNMENT  STANDARD 

Although  these  goods  are  called  kerseys,  they  are  really  meltons, 
both  the  stOQk  used  and  the  finish  being  of  a  melton  character,  while  a 
kersey  is  known  by  the  smoothness  of  the  weave,  no  twill  showing,  and 
there  is  a  wide  difference  in  the  finish  between  a  melton  and  a  kersey 
cloth.  Both  cloths  are  heavily  fulled,  and  shrunk  in  length  from  16  to 
25  per  cent,  according  to  weight  and  quality  of  fabric,  but  from  this 
point  the  finishing  processes  are  entirely  different,  as  the  kersey  is  nap- 
ped and  cropped  to  get  a  close,  velvety  nap  on  the  face,  then  steamed 
to  produce  a  luster,  none  of  which  processes  is  used  in  finishing  a  melton 
fabric  for  the  Government.  The  weave  used  in  all  army  goods  is  gen- 
erally the  regular  4-harness  twill,  the  cloth  being  laid  wide  in  the  reed 
to  get  the  necessary  amount  of  fulling.  The  pieces  are  shrunk  both  in 
length  and  width,  which  knits  the  fibres  of  both  warp  and  filling  togeth- 
er, adding  considerably  both  to  the  strength  and  weaving  quality  of  the 
goods. 

The  yarns  are  always  spun  with 

Opposite  TwTst, 

that  is  the  warp  yarn  may  be  spun  left  twist  and  the  filling  yarn  right 
twist  or  vice  versa.  This  is  a  common  practice  in  all  mills  when  making 
any  kind  of  goods  requiring  a  heavy  felted  face,  and  the  reason  for  so 
doing  will  readily  be  seen  by  examining  the  following  diagrams  of  warp 
and  filling  yarns  in  an  enlarged  plain  weave.  It  will  be  noted  that  when 
yarns  are  of  opposite  twists  the  twist  of  the  warp  and  filling  threads 
lies  in  the  same  direction  as  the  threads  cross  each  other,  and  in 
the  process  of  fulling  the  fibres  interlock  with  each  other  more  read- 
ily, making  a  smoother  and  better  felted  face,  whereas  in  a  fabric  mado 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


313 


of  the  same  twist  warp  and  filling,  the  directions  of  the  twist  are  opposed 
to  each  other,  and  su3h  a  cloth  will  not  felt  so  closely  together. 

The  Government  specifications  for  these  fabrics  require  a  strong  sta- 
ple territory  fleece  wool,  grading  a  good  three-eignths  quality,  and  the 
various  cloths  call  for  a  specified  number  of  threads  per  inch  in  warp 
and  filling,  and  must  be  of  sufficient  strength   to    withstand   a  certain 


1 

^^ 

i 

1 

1 

1 

1 

'my/mmm 
7/AmmmiWA^ 


Diagrams  of  Warp  and  Filling  Yarns. 

breaking  strain,  each  of  which  is  noted  in  the  different  layouts.  All  goods 
must  be  indigo  dyed  in  the  wool,  no  adulteration  even  of  waste  being  al- 
lowed, and  this  standard  is  rigidly  enforced.  The  layouts,  as  given,  are 
not  arbitrary  in  regard  to  size  of  yarns.  Manufacturers  may  change 
the  sizes  to  suit  their  requirements  in  manufacturing,  but  ends  per 
inch  warp  and  filling  and  strength  of  goods  must  come  up  to  the  specifi- 
cations. 

Finishing  of  These  Goods 

In  the  finishing  of  these  goods  the  process  is  similar 
to  an  ordinary  melton  finish.  The  width  from  the  loom 
will  vary  according  to  the  weight  of  the  goods,  but  the  average 
width  will  be  about  72  inches  inside  listing.  The  pieces  should  be  care- 
fully burled,  removing  all  knots,  slugs,  etc.  Very  little  sewing  is  need- 
ed if  the  weaving  is  well  done,  as  a  thread  out  or  a  broken  pick  will  not 
show  after  finishing,  owing  to  the  heavy  felted  face.  The  listings  should 
be  tacked  together  face  inside.  Have  a  good  body  soap,  made  of  palm 
oil  and  tallow,  and  as  we  want  a  well-felted  cloth  we  must  full  slowly. 
Therefore,  do  not  allow  the  pieces  to  get  too  warm  in  the  mills.  En- 
deavor to  get  the  shrinkage  both  in  width  and  length  to  come  equally 
together,  which  will  give  you  a  better  felt  and  a  firmer  handling  cloth. 
It  should  take  from  four  to  five  hours  in  the  fulling  mill  to  get  the  neces- 
sary shrinkage,  which  in  this  case  will  average  fully  16  per  cent  in  length. 

When  fulling  is  completed,  transfer  the  pieces  to  the  washer  and 
turn  on  warm  water  and  rinse  well.  Give  a  second  soaping  for  at  least 
20  minutes,  and  rinse  again  with  warm  water,  using  ammonia  or  a  so- 
lution of  monohydrate  to  raise  any  soap  that  may  still  be  in  the  goods, 
then  finish  the  rinsing  with  cold  water  which  will  **set  or  solidify  the 
cloth.  If  the  mill  has  the  necessary  facilities,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  roll 
the  pieces  on  a  roll  under  pressure  and  let  them  set  for  24  hours  before 
being  taken  to  the  carbonizing  room.  This  will  feed  the  cloth  and  im- 
prove the  handle. 

Carbonizing  These  Goods. 

In  carbonizing  these  goods  the  acid  liquor  should  test  at  least  5  de- 
grees Baume,  and  the  goods  should  lay  in  the  liquor  from  15  to  20  min- 
utes, after  which  they  are  run  through  the  squeeze  rolls  and  extracted. 


314 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


The  temperature  of  the  baking  machine  should  be  200  degrees,  which 
will  carbonize  all  vegetable  matter  in  the  goods.  Pieces  should  now  be 
run  through  a  dry  fulling  mill,  which  beats  out  all  the  carbonized  vege- 
table matter,  after  which  they  are  neutralized  in  an  ordinary  washer  by 
giving  them  a  few  minutes  run  in  warm  water,  then  adding  a  good,, 
strong  alkali  water  testing  4  or  5  degrees  Baume,  say  three  pails  of  this- 
alkali  solution  to  each  piece  in  the  water.  Test  with  litmus  paper  to 
make  sure  that  the  acid  is  neutralized,  and,  finally,  rinse  for  20  min- 
utes with  cold  water.  Extract  and  dry  at  58  inches  inside  listing.. 
Shear  lightly  on  back  and  give  them  three  runs  on  face,  but  not  toO' 
low,  as  the  felt  is  wanted  on  face.  Give  a  good  steam  brushing,  speck  it 
necessary,  and  press  heavy.  Before  pressing  run  on  dewing  machine,, 
and  let  lie  a  few  hours  to  allow  the  moisture  to  penetrate  the  fibres. 
After  pressing,  let  goods  lie  on  roll  until  next  day. 


16-OUNCE  BLUE  KERSEY. 

Government  Standard. 

Cloth  test  per  square  inch: 
Warp,  50  lbs. 
Filling,    45  lbs. 

Layout: 

2,660  ends. 
Reed:  81/2—4. 

78"  inside   list.    +    1"   for   listing    =  79" 

over  aJi- 
List.  20  ends  each,  2  run  white. 

Warp   yarn : 

3%  run,  left  twist. 

Filling  yarn: 

4  run,  right  twist. 

Weave: 

4  harness,  twill  to  right. 
46  picks. 

2,660  ends  3%  run  =  7.33  oz.  and 
79"  X  46  picks  -r-  4  run  =  9.08 
oz.  4-  10%  loom  take-up   =  18.00  oz. 

Listing    .20  oz. ' 


Loom  weight 


18.20  oz. 


18.20  oz.  +  5%  waste  allowance 
=  19  oz.  -f  12%  shrinkage  in 
length  =  21.6  oz.  @  54c.  per 
lb   $  .7290 


Manufacturing  costs: 

46  picks   +    12%    =   54  picks 


$.7600 
Dyeing  (extra) 


.=  .4104 
.0700 


Mill  cost 


$1.2094 


Yarns  tested  when  spinning: 
50  thread  warp,   46  lbs. 
50  thread  filling,   40  lbs. 

18-OUNCE  BLUE  KERSEY. 
Government  Standard. 

Cloth  test  per  square  inch: 
Warp,    55  lbs. 
Filling,    50  lbs. 

Layout: 

2,760  ends. 

Reed:  9 — 4. 

76    2-3"    inside  list. 
77  2-3"  over  all. 
List.  20  threads  each,  2  run  white. 

Weave: 

4  harness,  twill  to  right. 
44  picks. 

Warp  yarn: 

2%   run,  left  twist. 


4-    1"    for    list.  = 


Filling  yarn: 

3%    run,   right  twist. 

2,760  ends  2%  run  warp  =  9.61 
oz.  and  3,417  ends  3%  run  filling 
=  9.44  oz.  =  19.05  oz.  -h  10% 
loom  take-up   »=20.1t5oz. 

List  20  oz- 


Loom  weight 


21.15  oz. 


21.15  oz.  -}-  5%  waste  allowance 
=  22.28  oz.  -f-  10%  shrinkage  in 
length  =  24.75  oz.  @  54c.  per 
lb  =  $  .8353 

Manufacturing  cost: 

44   picks   4-    10%    =   49   picks  @ 

$.8100   =  .3969 

Dyeing   (extra)    .0800 


Mill  cost 


$1.3122 


Yarn  tested  when  spinning: 
Warp,  55  thread,  46  lbs. 
Filling,  50  thread,  40  lbs. 

22-OUNCE  BLUE  KERSEY. 
Government  Standard. 

Cloth  test  per  square  inch: 

Warp,  65  lbs. 

Filling,    60  lbs. 
Layout: 

3,000  ends. 

Reed:    9^4 — 4. 

81"   inside   list,    -h    1"   for  listing   =  82" 
over  all. 

List.  20  threads  each,  2  run  white. 
Weave: 

4  harness,  twill  to  right. 
44  picks. 

3,000    ends    2%    run    warp,  left 

twist   =  10.90  oz. 

82    X    44  picks     314     run  filling, 

right  twist   =  11.10  oz. 

List   .20  oz. 


Loom  weight 


24.40  oz. 


24.40  oz.  +  5%  waste  allowance  =  25.68 
oz.  +  12%  shrinkage  in  length  =  29 
oz.  of  stock. 

29  oz.  stock  @  54c.  per  lb  =  $  .9787 


Manufacturing  cost: 
44    picks    4-  12% 

$.8000   

Dyeing   (extra)    .  . 


50  picks 


.=  .4000 
.0900 


Mill  cost   

Yarns  tested  when  spinning: 
55  thread  warp,  50  lbs. 
50  thread  filling,  48  lbs. 


$1.4687 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  315 

FANCY  TWILL  KNICKERBOCKER  DRESS  GOODS 

This  fabric  is  made  56  inches  wide,  10  3-10  ounces  in  weight  and  is 
used  for  suits  and  skirts  for  women.  The  warp  is  a  white  knickerbocker 
yam,  and  the  filling  is  a  dark  grey  mixture  yarn.  The  white  wool  used  in  the 
warp  should  be  a  wool  that  can  bo  scoured  a  clean  white  and  then  bleached. 
This  includes  the  white  wool  nubs.  Have  the  goods  come  out  free  from 
any  yellow  tinge.  This  cilass  of  goods  is  sometimes  made  in  a  cheaper 
grade  of  the  same  weight  per  yard  by  using  a  percentage  of  cotton  bloth  in 
the  white  warp  and  the  dark  mixture  of  filling.  The  finish  is  about  as  fol- 
lows: Full  to  57  inches,  scour,  extract,  dry  to  57  inches,  shear  face,  rtotary 
press,  and  finish  56  inches  loom  length. 


10  3-10-Ounce    Fancy  Twi 


Knickerbocker  Dress  Goods. 


Layout: 

1,920  ends,  reed,  15  X  2  in  dent,  64" 

for  listing  =  65  inches  over  all. 
30  picks. 
8  harness. 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 
HARNESS  DRAFT. 


Warp: 

1,920  ends,  3%  run  c=  5.12  oz. 
+  7%  loom  shrinkage  ...... 


-fl' 


Filling: 

30  picks  X   65  inches  =  1,950. 
1,950  picks,  3%  run  =  5.20  oz. 
-1-   4%  loom  shrinkage  


Finished  weight, 


10.32  oz. 


5.48  oa. 


=  5.41  oz. 
10.89  oz. 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Warp: 

3%   run  white  Knickerbocker   V2  draft. 
Twist  is  spun  to  right. 

75%  lamb's  wool  @  54c.  per  lb.  =  $  .4050 
25%  wool  nubs  @  60c.  per  lb.      =  .1500 

16)  $  .5550 

An  ounce   $  .0347 

Filling: 

Dark  grey  mix.,  3%  run,  draft. 
Spin  twist  to  right. 

100%  med.  wool  @  45c.  per  lb.    =  $  .4500 

16)  $  .4500 

An  ounce   $  ,0281 

Material : 

5.48  oz.  3%  run  warp  +  12%  shrink- 
age =  6.14  oz.   @  $  .0347  =$  .2130 

5.41  oz.  3%  run  filling  +  12%  shrink- 
age =  6.06  oz.   @   $  .0281   =$  .1703 

$  .3833 

Manufacturing: 

30  picks  @  .01c  3000 

Mill  cost   $  .6833 


316 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


COVERT  CLOTH 

This  cloth  is  used  for  men's  light-weight  overcoats  and  for  women's 
coats.  The  goo^s  are  made  to  sell  at  56  inches  wide,  and  weigh  fmm 
about  16  to  26  ounces  per  yard.  Great  care  should  be  taken  in  selecting 
the  stock  and  the  blending,  so  it  will  card  out  well  and  spin  a  nice,  even 
thread,  especially  the  yarns  spun  to  be  used  for  double  twist,  which  is 
made  by  twisting  two  threads  together  of  different  shades,  such  as  white 
and  brown,  white  and  tan,  white  and  black,  etc.,  and  any  unevenness  or 
lumps  in  bad  spinning  will  show  badly  in  the  goods,  in  the  form  of  run- 
ners and  specks  on  the  face.   About   three-fourths  of  the  yarn  on  face 


16-Ounce  Covert  Cloth. 


is  warp,  which  is  the  double  twist  yarn.  To  eliminate  this  as  much  as 
possible,  it  would  be  well  to  respool  the  yam  after  it  has  been  spooled 
from  the  twisting  frame,  that  is,  run  over  an  inspecting 
spooling  frame,  which  runs  at  slower  speed,  so  that  the  tender  of 
this  frame  can  take  out  any  defectiv  threads  or  ends  that  run  slack.  In 
this  way  a  more  perfect  piece  of  goo  can  be  produced  and  a  better  price 
be  obtained  in  the  market,  which  wi  at  least  pay  for  the  extra  expense 
incurred.  To  finish  this  material  ful  to  56  inches,  inside  listing,  scour, 
wash,  extract,  dry  to  57  inches,  steam  brush,  shear  face  close  and  crop 
on  hack  to  remove  any  long  fibres,  and  rotary  press,  not  too  hot,  to  56 
inches  inside  ol  listing. 


HARNESS  DRAFT, 
g  □ipiigip! — 


STRAIGHT  DRAW. 

5  harness  weave,   but  use  10  harness,  and 
do   not   crowd  heddles. 

Layout: 

2,688  ends. 
Reed:  10   X   4  in 
listing. 

Plus  2"  for  listing  =  69.2 
46  picks  per  inch. 


dent  =   67.2"  inside 
over  all. 


Warp: 

2,688  ends  2/6  run  D.  T. 

white  and  tan   8.96  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrinkage 

Pilling: 

46  picks  X  69.2"  =  3,183 

picks  4^   run  tan....  7.07  oz. 
Plus  7%  loom  shrinkage 


9.85  oz. 


7.56  oz. 


Finished  weight   16.03  oz.    17.41  oz. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


317 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

The  2/6  run  double  twist  yarn  used  in 
warp  is  made  of  2  ends  of  6^4  run,  spun 
draft;  twist  to  right,  then  twisted  to- 
gether to  left,  24  turns  per  inch,  allowing 
a  take-up  in  length  in  the  twisting  of  4% 
will  be  the  equivalent  of  2-ply  6  run  yarn. 
The  4  run  filling  is  spun  2/3  draft;  twist 
to  the  left. 
2/6   run  warp. 

Fine   med.    wool    @    64c.   per   lb.,   or  4c. 
per  oz. 

4  run  filling. 

75%  med.  wool  @  50c.  per  lb  $  .3750 

25%  fine  shoddy  @  31c.  per  lb...  .0775 


16)  $  .4525 


An  ounce   $  .0283 


9.85  oz.  -f  14%  shrink- 
age   . ,  =  11.23  oz. 

2/6  run  @   $.0004  =  $.4492 

7.56  oz.  -I-  14%  shrink- 
age  =    8.62  oz. 

4  run  @  $.0283  =  .2439 


19.85  oz.  $.6931 

Manufacturing: 

46  picks   @   $.0084  =  .3864 


Mill  cost  per  yard   $1.0796 


21-Ounce  Covert  Cloth. 


Layout: 

3,360  ends. 

Reed:  12 1/2    X   4  in  dent,  67.2". 

Plus  2"  for  listing  ==  69.2"  over  all. 

60  picks  per  inch. 

Warp: 

3,360  ends  2/6  run  D.  T. 

white  and  brown  11.20  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  shrinkage  12.32  oz. 

Filling: 

60  picks  X  69.2"  =  4,152 

picks  414  run  brown....  9.77  oz. 

Plus  7%  loom  shrinkage  10.45  oz. 


Finished  weight   20.97  oz.    22.77  oz 


COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

The  2/6  run  double  twist  warp  is  the  same 
as  is  used  in  the  16-ounce  covert  just  de- 
scribed, but  white  and  medium  brown,  in- 
stead of  white  and  tan.  The  filling  is  the 
same  stock  as  is  used  in  the  16-ounce 
covert,  but  spun  4i/4  run  instead  of  4  run, 
and  medium  brown  instead  of  tan. 
12.32  oz.  -f  14%  shrink- 
age  =  14.04  oz. 

2/6  run  @   $.0400  =  $.5616 

10.45    oz.    +    14%  shrink- 
age  =  11.91  oz. 

41^  run  @  $.0283   =  .3370 

Loom  weight    25.95  oz.  $.8986 

Manufacturing: 

60  picks   @   $.0070   .420O 

Mill  cost  per  yard  $1.3186 


14  75-100-Ounce  Covert  Cloth. 


Layout: 

3,360  ends. 

Reed:   12 X   4  in  dent,   67.2"  inside  of 
listing. 

Plus  2"  for  listing  =  69.2"  over  all. 
54  picks  per  inch. 

Warp: 

3,360  ends  2/8  run  white 

and  olive,  D.  T   8.40  oz. 

Plus  10%  loom  take-up.  9.24  oz. 

Filling: 

54  picks  X  69.2"  =  3,736 

picks  5%  run  olive...  6.35  oz. 
Plus  8%  loom  take-up..  6.86  oz 


Finished    weight   14.75  oz.    16.10  oz. 

COST  CALCULATION. 

Material: 

The  2/8  run  double  twist  yarn  used  in 
warp  is  one  (1)  thread  of  olive  brown 
wool,  spun  2/3  draft;  twist  to  right;  8% 
run;  and  one  (1)  thread  of  white,  1/24 
worsted;  twist  to  right.  The  1/24  worst- 
ed is  equal  to   8%   run  woolen.  They 


are  twisted  together  to  the  left,  26  turns 
per  inch,  allowing  a  take-up  in  the  length 
in  the  twisting  of  4%,  being  the  equiva- 
lent of  2-ply  8  run  yarn.  The  5%  run 
filling  is  spun  2/3  draft;  twist  to  the  left. 
2/8  run  double  twist 

50%  fine  wool  @  72c.  per  lb..=  $  .3600 
50%  white  1/24  worsted  %  wool 

@  84c  =  .4200 

16)  $  .7800 

An  ounce   $  .0487 

5%  run  filling,  med.  wool  @  64c.  per  lb.,' 
or  4c.  per  ounce. 

9.24    oz.    4-    14%  shrink- 
age  =  10.53  oz. 

2/8  run  @  $.0487  =  $.5128 

6.86    oz.    +    14%  shrink- 
age  =    7.82  oz. 

5l^  run  @  $.0400  =  .312C 

Loom  weight    18.35  oz.  $.8256 

Manufacturing: 

54  picks  @   $.7600   .4104 

Mill  cost  per  yard  $1.2360 


318  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


IMITATION  FURS 

Among  the  many  cloaking  fabrics  offered  the  present  season,  none  are 
more  popular  than  the  varied  assortment  of  imitation  furs.  They  are  made 
in  all  grades  from  the  cheapest  "dogskins"  and  ''ponies"  through  the  bear- 
skins up  to  the  fine  Persian  lamb.  Some  of  them  are  extremely  difficult 
to  detect  from  the  genuine  fur,  while  others  are  obviously  poor  imitations. 
The  methods  of  manufacturing  these  fabrics  are  capable  of  division  into  three 
general  classes,  those  made  on  plush  looms,  knitting  frames  and  those  pro- 
duced on  the  ordinary  woolen  or  worsted  loom.  The  first  division  includes 
the  greater  portion  of  the  fabrics  which  require  a  long  pile  or  nap  to  produce 
the  desired  effect  as  in  ''near  seals,"  bearskins  and  furs  of  that  type.  The 
knitting  machine  product  is  largely  the  various  forms  of  astrachans  and  Per- 
sian lamb  effects,  and  the  plain  loom  is  used  to  produce  several  types  of  as- 
trachans and  the  short-haired  furs  which  may  be  simulated  by  the  nap  capa- 
ble of  being  raised  by  means  of  the  teasel  gig  or  napping  machine.  The  finish- 
ing of  the  pile  fabric  fur  effects  has  been  a  specialty  confined  almost  en- 
tirely to  a  comparatively  few  people  in  this  country.  In  producing  the  com- 
mon caracul  cloth  finish,  the  methods  have  been  very  much  improved  in 
recent  years.  The  method  in  vogue  in  Prance  was  to  crowd  the  goods  into 
sacks  full  of  wrinkles,  setting  the  crimps  by  boiling.  This  method  is  but 
little  used  to-day  and  has  given  place  to  others,  which  in  turn  have  been  re- 
placed by  the  system  in  common  practice  to-day.   The  use  of 

Embossing  Rolls  or  Calenders  ; 

is  not  advisable,  as  the  back  as  well  as  the  face  of  the  goods  receives  aat  im- 
pression, moreover  there  is  the  danger  of  tendering  the  goods  by  the 
cutting  action  of  the  rolls,  which  act  as  die  and  matrix.  The  method  of  em- 
bossing most  favored  at  the  present  time  obviates  this  difiiculty  by  the  use 
of  steam  and  cold  water  as  the  embossing  agents  instead  of  heat  and  pres- 
sure. The  caracul  pattern  is  formed  on  a  strong  cotton  fabric  by  stitching 
heavy  twine  in  curves  that  are  somewhat  irregular  all  over  its  surface.  The 
fabric  which  it  is  desired  to  emboss  is  rolled  with  the  pile  next  the  twine  of 
the  cloth  containing  the  pattern.  At  the  back  of  the  cloth  is  rolled  another 
stout  cotton  with  a  plain  surface.  The  three  cloths  are  rolled  on  a  cylinder 
perforated  with  a  number  of  small  holes  which  permit  of  blowing  steam  or 
cold  water  through  the  goods,  resulting  in  the  formation  of  the  pattern  in 
relief  on  the  pile  fabric.  The  present  season  has  for  one  of  its  leading  nov- 
elties for  cloakings  and  children's  coats  a  variety  of  fabrics  in  which  the 
distinctive  feature  is  the  peculiar  laying  of  the  pile  by  means  of  brushes  re- 
volving in  a  horizontal  plane  in  contact  with  the  wet  pile  as  the  fabric  passes 
through  the  machine.  Machines  for  producing  these  effects  are  offered  by 
English  and  German  builders  of  textile  appliances  and  a  limited  number  have 
been  purchased  by  American  manufacturers.  Several  styles  of  finish  may 
be  produced  by  these  machines  by  means  of  changing  the  direction  of  rota- 
tion of  the  brushes  which  are  independently  driven.  The  machine  in  ap- 
pearance is  not  unlike  the  multiple  spindle  boring  machine  used  in  many  of 
our  wood  and  iron  working  plants. 

The  cut  shown  here  is  one  of  the  simple  forms  of  machines  adapted 
more  especially  for  the  production  of  the  "pony"  and  "civet  cat"  types  of 
imitation  furs.  Some  of  the  more  complicated  machines  have  a  double  sys- 
tem of  brushes,  that  is  a  central  brush  which  may  be  rotated  in  one  direction 
with  another  annular  brush  around  it  that  rotates  in  the  opposite  direction, 
making  it  possible  to  produce  a  variety  of  very  novel  effects. 

The  Small  Circular  Brushes 
are  fixed  on  the  lower  end  of  the  upright  spindle,  from  which  it  receives  its 
motion.  The  fabric  here  described  receives  its  peculiar  appearance  from  the 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  31?" 


action  of  alternate  brushes  driven  in  opposite  directions  while  in  contact 
with  the  cloth  moving  over  a  flat  bed,  laying  the  pile  to  the  right  and  left. 
By  means  of  suitable  levers  the  cloth  may  be  lowered  out  of  contact,  shifted 
to  the  right  or  left  as  required,  raised  into  contact  again,  laying  the  pile  in 
line  with  the  part  or  "pony  back"  section  preceding  it.  The  imitation  of 
natural  skins  sewed  together  obtained  in  this  manner  is  extremely  true  to 
life.  The  parti-colored  effect  necessary  for  the  successful  imitation  of  some 
furs  is  obtained  by  various  methods.  The  one  in  most  general  use  is  of  the 
nature  of  a  printing  machine.    The  dye  is  applied  in  spots  or  in  a  pattern 


Whirlpool  Brushing  IVIachine 


as  desired  by  means  of  an  engraved  roll  in  contact  with  the  pile  fabric, 
which  is  forced  into  contact  by  means  of  a  supporting  roller.  A  similar  ap- 
plication of  a  stripping  agent  to  the  fabric  results  in  spots  or  patterns  of 
light  color  on  a  dark  ground. 

Fabrics  suitable  for  finishing  on  these  machines  may  be  made  on  the 
plush  loom,  true  pile  fabrics,  or  on  the  fancy  cassimere  loom,  these  latter 
cloths  having  the  necessary  nap  raised  by  means  of  the  wire  napper  or 
teasel  gig.  A  cloth  of  this  type  in  very  good  demand  the  present  season  is 
made  of  stock  which  is  probably  unfamiliar  to  the  greater  part  of  our  read- 
ers. The  use  of  a  fibre  as  coarse  and  short  as  that  of  the  cow  or  calf  will 
be  thought  an  impossibility  by  many  of  our  carders  and  spinners,  neverthe- 
less it  is  used  and  with  excellent  results  in  the  manufacture  of  the  imita- 
tion pony  skins  of  low  grade  which  are  a  feature  of  to-day's  business  with 
one  or  two  of  our  large  woolen  mills.  The  manipulation  of  stock  such  as 
this  would  not  be  readily  undertaken  by  some  of  our  carders,  but  in  actual 
practice  presents  no  insuperable  obstacles.  The  warps  for  these  cloths  are 
in  the  majority  of  instances  composed  of  a  coarse,  low-grade  cotton  thread, 
which  is  entirely  covered  in  the  finished  goods  by  the  glossy  curls  of  the 


320 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


nap  produced  by  the  filling  whicli  forms  the  face  of  the  goods.  The  cloths 
are  of  extremely  low  texture,  seldom  over  twenty-four  ends  or  picks  per  inch, 
and  produce  very  rapidly.   Their  manufacture  has  been 

Confined  to  Few  Mills, 

largely  because  of  the  cost  of  installing  the  necessary  appliance  for  the  pe- 
culiar finish.  Many  manufacturers  have  hesitated  to  purchase  the  machine, 
fearing  that  it  could  be  used  only  for  this  type  of  work  which  may  not  re- 
main in  popular  favor  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  warrant  the  expense. 
The  comparative  lack  of  competition  because  of  this  timidity  has  resulted 
in  an  excellent  business  for  the  few  mills  equipped  to  accept  orders  for  this 
type  of  fabric.  Samples  of  foreign  cloths  of  this  character  are  in  the  hands 
of  agents  here,  and  a  very  satisfactory  business  has  been  booked.  The  lay- 
out here  given  is  for  one  of  the  cheaper  cloths. 


LAYOUT. 

Warp:  1,360  ends;  reed  6% — 3  =  69%"  + 

1^"  for  listing  =  71^"  over  all. 
20  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 

1,360   ends   2/12  v'ctton    =    4.32  oz. 

+  5%   =    4.54  oz. 

20X71.25 

20  picks  %  run  ==    =  22.80  oz. 

625   

Loom   weight    27.34  oz. 

STOCK  MIXTURE. 

40%  hair  @  6c  =  $  .024 

60%  shoddy  @  14c  =  .084 

$  .108 


COST. 

4.54  oz.  @  21c.  per  lb  =  $  .0596 

22.8   oz.    +    20%  shrinkage   =  28.5 

oz.    @   $  108   =  .1930 

Stock  cost    $  .2526 

Manufacturing,   20  picks   =  .2000 

Net  cost    $  .4526 


It  may  be  that  the  manufacturing  cost  will  appear  low  on  this  fabric, 
but  such  is  not  the  case.  The  cotton  warps  should  be  purchased  on  loom 
beams,  which  eliminates  the  entire  cost  of  warp  preparation  aside  from 
the  drawing  in.  The  low  number  of  picks  of  coarse  filling  will  be  a  disad- 
vantage to  mills  not  fitted  for  dealing  with  yarns  of  this  character.  The 
yarns  should  be  spun  on  ten  or  eleven  inch  bobbins,  if  feasible,  or  on  the 
bare  spindle,  and  used  in  the  form  of  cops  to  facilitate  the  weaving,  which 
will  require  a  weaver's  attention  on  the  filling  most  of  the  time.  The  warp 
should  run  practically  with  no  breakage  from  end  to  end,  allowing  the  weav- 
er to  take  care  of  the  filling  with  no  undue  amount  of  labor.  There  are  a 
variety  of  novel  effects  which  may  be  produced  by  machines  of  this  type, 
either  on  fabrics  of  the  plush  order  or  those  woven  on  the  ordinary  loom, 
which  may  be  developed  in  piece  dyes  or  fancies.  For  plain  stripes  an  or- 
dinary cylindrical  brush  is  used  in  connection  with  a  stencil,  which  governs 
the  width  of  the  stripes. 

Another  method  of  producing  fancy  effects  cn  these  goods  is  by  means 
of  cutting  the  pile  to  form  the  pattern  desired.  This  is  accomplished  on  the 
shear  by  substituting  a  blade,  of  which  portions  are  cut  away  to  correspond 
with  the  parts  of  the  pile  which  are  to  be  left  uncut  to  form  the  design  in 
relief.  A  separate  knife  is  necessary  for  each  width  of  stripe.  For  the  pro- 
duction of  diagonals  the  cloth  is  fed  to  the  blades  at  the  required  angle,  and 
they  are  then  lifted  by  suitable  cams  at  the  end  of  the  traverse.  Of  all  these 
methods  the  multiple  brushing  machine  is  capable  of  the  most  satisfactory 
results  in  the  hands  of  a  competent  and  careful  workman. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


321 


FANCY  CASSIMERE 

The  fabric  liere  illustrated  is  one  that  sold  in  quantities  a  few  year^ 
ago,  several  mills  operating  their  entire  equipment  in  the  production  of  va- 
rious styles  in  this  construction,  a  New  England  mill  of  over  a  hundred 
looms  operating  at  full  capacity  for  nearly  three  years  on  the  exact  fabric 
analyzed.  The  popularity  of  this  cloth  was  due  to  the  extremely  fine  face 
appearance,  the  v  eave  employed  for  its  production,  plain  or  cotton,  giving  a 
much  closer  texture  than  could  otherwise  be  obtained  unless  a  material  in- 
crease was  made  in  both  ends  and  picks.  The  weave  used  permitted  the 
manufacture  of  a  wide  range  of  patterns  while  the  designer  was  practically 
unlimited  in  the  variety  of  color  mixtures  used.  ]Many  of  the  styles  produced 
displayed  a  con.dderable  ability  in  the  formation  of  mixtures  which  for  har- 
monious blendings  of  colors  were  equal  to  any  produced  since  either  in  this 
country  or  abroad.  Some  were  of  the  nature  of  the  so-called  heather 
mixes,  presumably  so  named  for  their  approximation  to  the  colors  seen  on 
the  hillsides  of  "Auld  Scotland"  and  never  to  be  forgotten  by  her  sons  and 


Cotton  Weave  Cassimere. 

daughters.  Another  type  was  the  so-called  ''illuminated  mixes,"  made  for 
the  most  part  with  a  large  percentage  of  a  very  dark  shade  with  just  a  hint 
of  bright  colors  tastefully  blended  into  the  mass,  which  stood  out  clearly 
against  the  dark  background,  but  not  strong  enough  to  make  the  mixture 
appear  crude  or  inharmonious.  The  inherent 

Difficulty  of  Producing  Perfect 
goods  with  fine  yarns  in  the  relatively  tight  weave  needed  to  give  the  de- 
sired effect  deterred  many  mills  from  attempting  to  secure  a  part  of  the 
business,  which  might  easily  have  been  obtained,  as  the  demand  was  in  ex- 
cess of  the  production  of  the  comparatively  few  mills  engaged  in  manufac- 
turing these  cloths. 

The  face  warp  and  filling  were  made  from  a  nice  territory  wool,  spun 
to  five  run  for  warp  and  five  and  a  half  run  for  the  filling.  The  back  warp 
was  cotton,  usually  2-26,  but  in  some  instances  a  single  14  w^as  used.  A  con- 
siderable part  of  the  weight  was  obtained  by  the  use  of  a  heavy  backing 
filling  made  from  a  stock  mixture  of  wool,  shoddy  and  cotton.  Wools  for  the 


322 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


face  yarns  should  be  fine,  of  fairly  good  length,  well  sorted  and  scoured  ab- 
solutely clean.  The  latter  item  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  as  improperly 
scoured  wools  cannot  be  colored  with  any  degree  of  success,  nor  will  the 
finished  fabric  have  the  brightness  and  life  of  a  cloth  made  from  clean 
stock.  The  method  used  in  scouring  is  not  of  great  importance,  excellent 
results  being  obtained  with  the  old-style  soaking  vat  and  rinse  box,  though 
the  installation  of  a  modern  type  of  wool-washing  machine  will  well  repay 
the  outlay,  if  any  quantity  of  wools  are  bought  in  the  grease.  There  is  con- 
siderable diversity  of  opinion  relative  to  this  question,  many  manufactur- 
ers being  firmly  convinced  that  by  purchasing  grease  wools  and  sorting  and 
scouring  them  in  their  own  plant  they  are  able  to  obtain  better  values  than 
would  be  possible  if  scoured  wools  were  bought.  Others  maintain  that  for 
the  mill  of  less  than 

Fifty  to  Sixty  Looms 

it  is  not  economy  to  do  their  own  scouring.  This  difference  of  opinion  is  due 
to  a  variety  of  causes;  proximity  to  markets  and  reliable  scourers  should  be 
taken  into  account  in  consideration  of  the  question.  That  the  size  of  the 
plant  malies  no  material  difference  in  the  policy  to  be  followed  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  within  a  few  miles  of  each  other  are  two  mills,  one  of  sev- 
enteen looms  using  nothing  but  grease  wools,  while  its  neighbor  with  a  hun- 
dred looms  buys  scoured  wools  entirely.  The  advantage  in  buying  wools  in 
the  grease  is  the  fact  that  grades  may  be  maintained  more  even  and  the 
scouring  kept  up  to  a  uniform  standard  at  all  times.  The  difference  in  cost 
is  probably  very  slight,  if  any  saving  is  made  by  the  small  plant.  The  se- 
lection of  the  wools  for  mixture  should  receive  careful  attention,  as  it  is 
essential  that  they  be 

Free  and  Open, 

containing  no  undergrowth  or  short  staple  that  will  card  nut  with  difficulty, 
or  possibly  refuse  to  be  carded,  and  roll  up,  forming  minute  'pills"  that  will 
show  in  the  finished  fahric  in  the  form  of  specks.  This  is  a  very  serious  con- 
dition of  affairs,  as  it  means,  in  any  case,  the  employment  of  extra  nclp  in 
th*^  finishing  room  to  remove  the  specks  with  burling  irons  or  selling  ibe 
goods  at  pfic?*3  that  will  entirely  blot  out  the  gain  and  possibly  make  in- 
roads on  the  proliis  secured  from  other  goods.  The  carder  may  be  able 
to  relieve  the  situation  somewhat  by  trueing  up  the  cards,  grinding  and  in 
other  ways  putting  them  into  Al  condition.  It  will  probably  be  necessary  to 
set  them  closer  than  would  ordinarily  be  the  case,  and  when  all  is  done  the 
specks  may  still  be  present  in  sufficient  numbers  to  cause  niuch  damage. 
The  use  of  pulled  wools  for  making  mixtures  is  advocated  by  many  of  our 
most  skillful  manufacturers,  their  claims  of  its  superiority  for  this  purpose 
resting  on  years  of  experience.  In  preparing  a  batch  to  be  colored  into 
light  shades  select  wools  that  are  free  from  yellow  tips  or  other  discolora- 
tions,  as  the  tinge  of  the  wool  will  oftentimes  prevent  the  dyer  from  ob- 
taining the  clearness  of  shade  desired.  Stock  used  for  the  white  should  be 
bleached  and  the  black  for  the  mixtures  should  be  of  a  decided  blue  cast, 
a  much  better  shade  of  mixture  resulting  from  a  blend  of  such  colors.  The 
roving  for  the  face  yarns  should  be  made  half  draft,  that  is,  a  reeling  of 
25  yards  of  roving  should  weigh  the  same  as  a  50-yard  reeling  of  spun  yarn. 
This  will  permit  of  drawing  the  stock  sufficiently  on  the  mules  to  insure 
the  making  of  a  strong, 

Smootii,  Elastic  Tiiread. 

The  idea  prevalent  among  spinners  that  the  strength  of  the  yarn  is  due 
to  the  twist  is  only  half  correct.  In  many  cases  a  change  in  the  drafting 
will  show  an  increase  of  strength  with  less  twist  than  was  put  into  the  un- 
derdrawn yarn.  The  backing  filling  is  made  from  a  totally  different  stock, 
and  will  require  slightly  different  treatment  in  both  carding  and  spinning. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


323 


The  roving  should  be  made  about  two -thirds  draft,  as  the  quality  of  the 
stock  will  not  permit  of  its  being  drawn  to  so  great  an  extent  in  the  spin- 
ning. The  object  to  be  attained  here  is  not  so  much  strength  as  a  full, 
round,  soft  thread  that  will  cover  as  much  as  possible  the  cotton  of  the 
back  warp.  The  handle  of  the  fabrics  is  much  improved  by  giving  the  backs 
a  few  runs  on  the  napping  machine.  Many  manufacturers  would  consider 
that  goods  of  this  character  should 

Be  Dressed  on  Two  Beams, 
one  containing  the  face  warp,  the  other  the  cotton,  as  the  take-up  and  elas- 
ticity of  the  threads  are  so  at  variance.  Actual  mill  practice  has  amply 
proven  that  in  this  particular  construction  the  expense  of  double  beam  work 
may  be  dispensed  with,  the  dressing  of  both  wool  and  cotton  on  one  beam 
giving  extremely  good  results. 

One  of  the  chief  difficulties  in  weaving  is  the  tendency  to  form  small 
floats  with  but  little  apparent  reason.  To  prevent  this,  the  warp  should  be 
woven  with  considerable  tension,  every  end  replaced  as  soon  as  the  break 
is  noticed,  and  all  knots  tied  without  the  long  ends  so  often  found  as  a  re- 
sult of  carelessness  on  the  part  of  the  spoolers.  The  weave  used  will  cause 
floats  more  readily  than  those  commonly  employed  for  the  production  of 
cassimeres,  requiring  close  attention  on  the  part  of  the  weaver.  The  goods 
should  be  carefully  perched,  all  imperfections  marked,  details  as  to  length, 
weight,  piece  number,  etc.,  entered  on  suitable  blanks,  and  the  goods  sent 
to  the  burling  room.  Here  the  girls  are  required  to  raise  all  knots,  back 
and  face,  remove  slugs,  bits  of  foreign  matter  and  the  tangled  ends  of 
broken  threads  or  filling  that  have  been  drawn  in  at  the  sides.  The  opera- 
tion of  burling,  while  apparently  very  simple  and 

Requiring  no  Special  Skill, 
must  be  very  carefully  performed  on  many  styles  of  goods,  or  much  harm 
may  be  done.  In  removing  slugs  care  must  be  taken  not  to  break  the 
threads  next  to  that  in  process  of  removal,  and  knots  must  not  be  broken 
off  too  short,  lest  the  ends  shrink  back  during  the  fulling,  making  more 
work  for  the  sewers.  In  addition  to  replacing  broken  ends  and  picks,  the 
sewers  must  remove  coarse  threads,  double  ends,  correct  wrong  draws, 
mend  floats  and  put  the  pieces  in  as  nearly  perfect  condition  as  possible 
before  they  are  fulled,  as  such  work  is  much  more  easily  performed  before 
the  fibres  have  become  felted  together.  Before  the  pieces  are  taken  to  the 
lulling  mills  they  should  again  be  perched  to  see  that  burling  and  sewing 
have  been  properly  done.  In  the  fulling  room  the  pieces  should  be  run  into 
the  mills  two  at  a  time,  given  sufficient  quantity  of  a  good,  full-bodied 
soap  to 

Thoroughly  Saturate  the  Goods. 

After  running  a  short  time  they  should  be  examined  and  tested  to  see  that 
the  soap  is  working  well.  The  grease  and  dirt  should  be  well  started,  then 
the  mills  oper^ed  with  the  traps  up,  as  the  goods  are  not  to  be  fulled  end- 
wise. With  a  soap  of  full  body,  properly  mixed,  the  fulling  should  not  take 
more  than  three  to  three  and  one-half  hours,  when  the  pieces  are  ready 
^or  the  washer. 

Run  for  half  an  hour  in  warm  water,  open  the  gates  and  give  a  thor- 
ough rinsing,  close  the  gates,  allow  a  pail  of  soap  to  each  piece  and  let  them 
run  in  a  warm  lather  for  fifteen  minutes,  rinse  well  and  extract.  If  the 
goods  are  to  be  finished  with  a  soft  back  they  should  go  to  the  nappers 
before  drying,  otherwise  they  may  be  dried  directly  after  extracting.  The 
drying  should  be  carried  on  at  as  low  a  temperature  as  is  compatible  with 
the  production,  in  fact,  rather  than  to  hasten  the  drying  by  increasing  the 
temperature  in  the  drying  chamber,  it  would  be  profitable  either  to  operate 
the  dryer  overtime  or  increase  the  capacity  by  adding  to  the  drying  cham- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


ber  of  the  machine.  Too  thorough  extracting,  while  aiding  in  the  drying 
operation,  is  to  be  avoided,  as  the  goods  will  not  handle  as  well  as  pieces 
which  go  to  the  dryer  rather  damp  and  dry  slowly.  From  the  dryer  the 
goods  are  taken  to  the  nappers  and  given  sufficient  work  on  the  face  to 
raise  the  nap  sufficiently  for  the  shear  to  give  a  clean,  clear  finish,  every 
thread  round  and  full,  the  pattern  standing  out  with  distinctness.  Give  a 
thorough  inspection,  repair  all  damages  which  may  have  escaped  notice 
hitherto,  then  give  a  run  on  the  steam  brush,  and  press  hard.  Steam  light- 
ly as  the  goods  come  from  the  press,  rolling  on  a  wooden  roll,  where  they 
should  be  allowed  to 

Remain  Overnight 

before  being  unrolled  for  the  final  perching.  It  may  be  thought  by  some 
that  such  care  is  not  required  in  the  manufacture  of  fabrics  containing  cot- 
ton, but  buyers  have  grown  more  and  more  exacting  each  year,  and  at  the 
present  time  expect  perfection  even  in  low-priced  goods.  In  many  cases 
goods  which  would  have  been  satisfactory  deliveries  a  few  years  since 
would  now  be  classed  as  poor  seconds. 

A  less  expensive  fabric,  made  from  the  exact  construction  used  in  the 
one  described  above,  was  produced  profitably  by  a  Rhode  Island  mill  at  an 
unusually  low  cost  of  manufacture.  The  fancy  colors  on  the  face  were 
spun  from  a  fine  wool,  the  ground  color,  approximately  half  of  the  warp 
and  filling,  was  spun  from  a  stock  mixture  composed  of  75  per  cent  cotton 
and  25  per  cent  wool,  with  the  backing  filling  made  from  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  good  cotton  and  card  waste.  This  fabric  sold  well  for  several 
seasons,  and  gave  excellent  service  to  the  ultimate  consumer.  The  entire 
manufacturing  cost  was  only  thirty  cents  per  yard,  considerably  under  what 
the  average  mill  would  regard  as  a  fair  estimate  for  manufacturing  a  sim- 
ilar fabric. 

LAYOUT.  COST. 
3,840  ends;  14  reed.  4  per  dent  =  68.5"  4-  2"      ^.44         wool   +  15%  waste  =  9.93 

for   listine    =    70  5"   over   all  @  ^^^^  =  $  -3227 

48  nipkr  4.12  oz.  cotton  +   3%  waste  =  4.24 

PICKS.  ^3^^  ^  ^Q^^2 

9.02    oz.    backing    +    25%    waste  = 
STOCK.  12.02  oz.   @   l^c  =  .2253 


Face  warp  and  filling  all  wool  @  52c.  per  lb.             Cost  of  stock                                   $  6222 

3 %c.  an  ounce.  Manufacturing       ^'^ '.'.  '.  '.  '.'.'.  '.'.'.'.  '.'.=  '.Z240 

Back  warp  2/26  cotton    @    28c.  per  lb.  " 

$  .0175  an  ounce.  rj.^^^-^  j^iU  ^^^^   j  94g2 

Back  filling  25%  wool  @  48c  =    12*^  16  harness,   straight  draw. 

75%  shoddy  (a>  24c  =  18c. 

,    ■■■  ■■ 

Per  pound    30c.  □□■ 

$    1S7f^    an    ounce  ■■□□■□□□■^□□■D  □ 

^  .ibio    an  ounce. 

CALCULATIONS.  rs:BgB:sg8:"SBss 

:.!>20  ends  6  run  =  S.84  oz.  +  12V4%  ■ggHS.gSMg^KSa 

take-up   =  4.32  oz.  □'^■□□□■□□□B 

1.920    ends   2/26    cotton    =    2.75   oz.  SRSSSSSSSHySSSyy 

+   121/^%  take-up   =  3.09  oz.  □□■■■□■□SJSSJS 

32  X  70.5 

32  picks  51/2  run  =   =  4.12  oz. 

16X70.5  ■ 


16  picks  1  ^  run  =    =    9.02  oz.  yP"P° 

125    ■□^□■■□□B  □ 

T.oom   weight    20.55  oz. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


325 


FINE  FANCY  WORSTED  SUITING 

The  greater  part  of  the  men's  wear  fabrics  described  from  time  to  time 
have  been  those  which  are  manufactured  at  a  popular  price  and  used  by 
the  large  clothing  manufacturers.  The  sample  selected  for  analysis  and  de- 
scription here  is  of  an  entirely  different  character,  both  in  construction 
and  stock  used.  Such  cloths  are  usually  sold  through  the  jobber,  and  are 
intended  primarily  for  the  fine  tailoring  trade.  The  stock  selected  for  man- 
ufacturing the  yarns  here  used  is  an  Australian,  capable  of  being  spun  to 
64s  or  even  finer,  but  in  the  sample  is  spun  to  40s,  making  a  plump,  round, 
smooth  thread,  that  gives  an 

Appearance  and  Handle 

to  the  fabric  impossible  to  secure  with  any  other  stock.  The  yarns  are 
spun  on  the  Bradford  system,  are  carefully  inspected  and  practically  per- 
fect when  purchased  by  the  weaver.  For  use  in  this  type  of  goods  the 
yarns  are  invariably  skein -dyed,  the  method  pursued  usually  involving  the 
use  of  a  machine  of  the  Ferris  wheel  type.  In  this  machine  the  skeins  are 
held  at  full  length  by  means  of  sticks  resting  in  sockets  on  the  spiders,  and 
alternately  immersed  and  withdrawn  from  the  dye-liquor.  The  results  ob- 


Fine  Worsted  Trousering. 


tained  by  this  method  are  far  superior  to  those  resulting  from  the  use  of 
the  old-style  hand-tub.  When  dry  the  skeins  are  taken  to  the  winding 
room  and  wound  to  six-inch  spools,  or,  in  the  most  up-to-date  mills, 

Formed  into  Cones, 

a  much  more  convenient  and  economical  method  of  handling.  The  spools, 
or  cones,  are  then  placed  on  a  suitable  rack  at  the  back  of  a  spooler,  and 
the  yarn  transferred  to  a  jack  spool  for  convenience  in  handling  in  subse- 
quent operations.  In  each  of  these  operations  it  is  essential  that  the  op- 
eratives tie  a  knot  that  will  hold  during  subsequent  transactions  without 
slipping.  Dressing  should  preferably  be  done  on  a  wet  frame,  as  the  high 
filling  texture  (99  picks  per  inch)  may  result  in  considerable  chafing  if  the 
warps  are  not  sized.  The  question  as  to  the  sizing  compound  which  will 
give  the  best  results  is  one  that  may  be  left  for  each  individual  mill  to  de- 
cide, as  there  are  circumstances  connected  with  each  case  that  may  re- 


326 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


quire  treatment  that  would  not  be  suitable  for  others.  The  size  used  in  any 
case  should  be  one  that  is  readily  soluble  in  warm  water  and  containing 
nothing  that  is  in  any  way  harmful  to  the  wool  fibre  or  that  will  have  any 
effect  on  the  colors  used  in  dyeing  the  yarns.  The  use  of  a  suitable  warp 
compressor  in  beaming  the  warps  is  strongly  recommended,  as  in  this 
method  of  beaming  the 

Life  and  Elasticity  of  the  Yarn 
is  preserved,  and  a  warp  made  that  will  give  much  better  results  in  the 
way  of  production  and  quality  of  finished  goods. 

The  fixer  should  have  the  loom  in  Al  condition  before  the  warp  is 
hung  in,  and  see  that  every  thread  is  in  its  place  before  starting  up.  Set  the 
reed  in  such  manner  that  the  warp  is  in  the  center  of  the  reed  space. 
-Should  the  reed  itself  be  shorter  than  the  space  between  lay  ends,  fill  in 
the  space  with  pieces  of  reed,  as  too  much  space  is  very  likely  to  cause  more 
or  less  trouble  in  the  way  of  throwing  the  shuttle  crooked.  See  that  the 
reed  is  perfectly  straight  and  in  line  with  the  throat  of  the  box,  also  that 
the  boxes  are  in  the  correct  position  in  relation  to  the  race  plate.  Have  the 
harness  so  that  the  lower  shade  will  clear  the  race  plate  nicely,  yet  not 
be  high  enough  to  throw  out  the  shuttle  or  cause  split  bobbins.  Adjust  the 
power  and  sweep  straps  so  that  the  shuttle  reaches  the  box  in  good  time, 
but  without  sufficient  force  to  cause  it  to  rebound.  See  that  the  stop  mo- 
tion is  oiled  and  works  accurately  and  that  the  take-up  is  pulling  over  the 
correct  number  of  teeth,  if  the  ratchet  ring  type  is  used.  When  the  head- 
ing is  woven,  an  inch  or  two  may  be  woven  with  the  correct  filling,  and  the 

Harnesses  Raised  One  by  One 
for  the  detection  of  threads  out,  wrong  draws,  wrong  colors  or  defects  of 
any  other  nature.  If  found  all  right,  the  harness  looker  should  mark  it 
OK,  sign  his  initials,  and  the  weaver  may  start  his  loom.  Mills  making  fine 
fancy  fabrics  should  have  enough  competent  men  to  look  over  the  harness 
on  each  loom  at  least  twice  weekly,  as  the  greater  perfection  of  product 
secured  in  this  W3y  will  well  repay  the  expense  involved.  When  the  pieces  are 
taken  from  the  loom  they  should  be  perched  and  measured,  then  pulled 
over  a  table  in  a  good  light  and  every  imperfection  marked  for  the  sew- 
ers, a  complete  record  of  the  details  as  to  loom  number,  piece  number, 
weaver,  yards,  picks,  etc.,  being  made  on  a  form  provided  for  the  purpose, 
so  that  reference  may  be  readily  made  should  occasion  require.  Burling 
on  goods  of  this  grade  must  be  carefully  performed,  all  knots  raised  back 
and  face,  slugs  reduced  and  slack  threads  drawn  up.  The  burlers  should 
also  be  provided  with  a  piece  of  chalk  and  instructed  to  mark  any  imper- 
fection that  escaped  the  notice  of  the  weave  room  percher.  In  this  way 
much  valuable  time  will  be  saved  in  the  sewing  room. 

Sewing  on  fine  fancy  worsteds  requires  no  little  skill.  In  order  to  ac- 
complish the  best  results,  the  sewers  should 

Have  Some  Knowledge  of  Weaving 
and  be  able  to  r(iad  the  chain  draft,  as  at  times  it  becomes  necessary  to 
replace  a  thread  in  an  intricate  weave,  and  it  is  essential  that  the  system 
of  interlacing  warp  and  filling  be  known  exactly.  In  addition  to  sewing  in 
broken  threads  and  picks,  the  sewers  must  repair  wrong  draws,  replace 
hard  twist  and  coarse  threads,  tight  picks  or  wrong  colors,  as  well  as  re- 
pair fioats,  holes  and  other  imperfections.  After  sewing,  the  goods  should 
again  be  inspected  before  passing  to  the  next  process,  to  make  certain  that 
every  damage  which  can  be  repaired  has  received  attention.  The  pieces 
may  then  be  taken  to  the  wet  finishing  and  should  be  carefully  scoured  with 
a  pure,  neutral  soap.  Harsh  detergents  of  any  kind  should  never  be  al- 
lowed to  come  in  contact  with  fine  goods  of  any  description,  and  are  par- 
ticularly out  of  place  in  the  finishing  of  high-grade  worsteds.  When  thor- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  327 


oughly  cleansed  and  well  rinsed,  remove  from  the  washer,  place  on  the 
wet  brush  and  give  alternate  steam  and  cold  water  blowings,  with  the  ends 
of  the  pieces  changed  between  the  operations.  Extract  in  the 

Open  Width 

to  avoid  wrinkles.  This  is  a  very  simple  process,  and  may  be  readily  ac- 
complished in  any  mill  with  a  comparatively  inexpensive  installation  of 
machinery.  All  that  is  required  is  a  suitable  roll  and  means  for  rotating  it 
at  a  speed  of  SOO  to  1,000  revolutions  per  minute.  The  pieces  may  be 
wound  to  this  roll  direct  from  the  wet  brush.  A  truck  fitted  to  carry  five 
or  six  of  these  extracting  rolls  should  be  provided,  on  which  they  may  be 
taken  to  the  dryer.  A  frequent  error  is  the  use  of  too  high  a  temperature 
during  the  drying  operation.  This  should  be  guarded  against,  as  the  han- 
dle of  the  goods  is  very  much  depreciated  by  such  treatment.  Drying  in  the 
open  air  is  much  preferable  to  any  method  of  artificially  performing  this 
part  of  the  work,  but  the  length  of  time  required  and  the  lack  of  room  for 
tenter  bars  sufficient  to  dry  in  this  way  are  objections  that  make  it  im- 
practical. In  default  of  this,  the  best  substitute  is  a  chain  dryer  of  such  ca- 
pacity that  the  drying  can  be  accomplished  at  a  moderate  heat.  When  dry, 
the  pieces  are  taken  to  the  brush,  given  two  or  three  runs,  then  sheared. 

Lowering  the  Blade 

a  notch  or  two  between  each  run.  A  very  grave  mistake  is  made  in  at- 
tempting to  shear  too  closely  on  the  first  cut.  After  shearing,  steam  brush, 
spray  and  press.  The  result  will  be  a  fabric  of  which  any  finisher  may  well 
be  proud,  and  tnat  will  compare  favorably  with  any  made  in  this  country  or 
abroad.  Many  of'  the  mills  making  fabrics  of  this  grade  put  them  through 
a  further  process,  and  sell  them  as  "London  shrunk."  This  process  may  be 
performed  in  several  ways,  one  in  common  use  being  to  roll  the  pieces  in 
contact  with  a  wet  cloth,  allowing  them  to  remain  until  the  moisture  has 
entirely  disappeared  and  repressing  with  a  plate  press.  Another  m.ethod 
of  accomplishing  the  same  result  is  to  run  them  between  two  rolls,  the 
lower,  covered  with  cloth,  revolving  in  a  trough  of  water.  The  piece  is  then 
hung  over  bars  in  folds  and  allowed  to  dry  naturally.  The  method  of  finish- 
ing here  described  is  somewhat  more  expensive  than  the  system  commonly 
used,  and  is  more  nearly  akin  to  that  in  use  in  the  foreign  mills  making 
high-class  fabrics.  The  extra  time  and  expense  involved  are  well  repaid 
by  the 

Enhanced  Value  of  the  Goods. 

The  peculiarly  plump,  kindly  handle  of  the  fabrics  cannot  be  developed 
without  an  expenditure  of  time  and  labor,  which  probably  is  not  justified 
in  the  manufacture  of  popular-priced  cloths.  The  method  of  finishing  in 
use  in  many  of  the  Bradford  fine  goods  mills  involves  the  use  of  falling 
stocks,  a  type  of  machine  practically  unknown  in  domestic  worsted  mills. 
They  are  used  preliminary  to  the  scouring,  and  aid  very  materially  in  pro- 
ducing the  handle  typical  of  the  finest  cloths.  The  statement  is  often  made 
that  domestic  manufacturers  cannot  make  fabrics  equal  in  quality  and  fin- 
ish to  those  from  abroad.  This  remark  has  no  foundation  in  fact,  as  manu- 
facturers in  general  do  not  cater  extensively  to  the  fine  trade,  they  having 
learned  by  experience  that  there  is  more  profit  to  be  made  in  the  medium - 
priced  goods  which  sell  in  large  quantities  than  in  higher-priced  materials, 
which,  while  they  show  a  larger  profit  per  yard,  do  not  permit  of  operating 
a  plant  on  as  efficient  a  basis  because  of  the  fact  that  orders  for  fine  goods 
are  invariably  for  small  quantities  involving  the  making  of  one  and  two 
piece  warps  with  the  attendant  increase  in  manufactiiring  charges. 


328  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


LAYOUT. 

6,480  ends;   16 reed.   6  per  dent  =   65 V^" 
+  for  listing  =  67"  over  all. 

99  picks. 
Dressed: 

2/40   light  slate   3         6    I  9 

2/40    dark   slate   3         3  I  6 

2/40  black   3  j  3 

18 

18   X  24  =  432 

15  sections. 

6,480 

Filling: 

2/40  black   1         1    1  2 

4  run  bl^-ck    1         j  1 

3 

STOCK. 

Worsted  (warp  and  filling)  2/40  Australian. 
Wool  (4  run  back  filling)      -blood  territory. 

CALCULATIONS. 
6,480  ends  2/40  =  9.26  oz.   +  10% 

take-up   =  10.29  oz. 

66X67 

66  picks  2/40  =  =    6.32  oz. 

40X560-I-16H-2 
33X67 

33  picks  4  run  =     =    5.53  oz. 

400   

Loom  weight    22.14  oz. 


COST. 

16.61  oz.  worsted   -f-  7Mj%  waste  = 

17.95  oz.    @    6^c  =  $1,220 

5.53    oz.    wool     4-    15%    waste  = 

6.5  oz.  @  3^c  =  .210 

Cost  of  stock   $1,430 

Manufacturing   =  .554 

Net  mill  cost    $1,984 


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□□□ «*»BanDnDBBBBGn 

□□□□□BBBBDnDDGBBBB 
BaBflDBBaBBOBBaBBBB 
BD jD      BBBB   □  ULBZB 

BB«nnnmBBBBarDDL_B 
BB«aa8BaB»BaB~BB  a 
aaaaa  < j  aaaan  jana 
n  aavBGDH  caaaa  □□ 
ana^aaa  laaaaaaBBaa 
I  □  aaaana  laDBsBana 
□□□  □aaaaa  "'□D  :^a«aB 
aaaanaaaa^DaaaaiaB 
annnnnaaBannDDDaaB 


10  10 


G  6  6 


6  6 
5 


GUN  CLUB  CHECKS 

This  type  of  check  has  become  so  popular  of  late  that  few  lines,  either 
of  fancy  worsteds  or  woolens,  do  not  contain  one  or  more  books  of  club 
checks  in  various  sizes  and  colors.  In  fact,  they  are  so  generally  shown 
every  season  that  they  have  really  become  practically  staples,  or  possibly  , 
to  be  more  nearly  exact,  semistaples.  They  are  made  in  a  great  variety  of 
colorings  and  a  wide  range  of  fabrics,  from  the  low-priced  manipulated 
cassimere  to  the  finest  Australian  worsted.  The  characteristic  of  this  check 
is  the  color  arrangement  of  the  pattern,  which  invariably  consists  of  three 
colors  arranged  light,  medium,  light,  dark,  as  in  our  illustration,  forming  a 
check  within  a  check. 

For  men's  wear  cloths  the  patterns  are  usually  dressed  with  either  two, 
four  or  six  threads  of  each  color  on  the  face  in  each  pattern,  but  for  ladies' 
wear,  either  dress  goods  or  cloakings,  much  larger  effects  are  often  produc- 
ed, it  being  not  at  all  unusual  to  find  checks  two  inches  or  more  in  diameter. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  329 

The  cloakings  are  made  usually  from  coarse  wools,  finished  with  consider- 
able nap,  and  invariably  made  from  yarns  of  relatively  coarse  numbers.  The 
fabric  selected  for  analysis  is  a  medium-weight  worsted  men's  wear,  such 
as  is  used  in  quantity  by  the  large  manufacturing  clothiers.  Instead  of  us- 
ing a  straight  draw,  as  is  the   usual   custom,  every   fourth  set   of  dark 


Gun  Club  Check. 

threads  are  drawn  on  alternate  harnesses,  giving  the  effect  of  a  stripe  at 
intervals  of  approximately  an  inch.  The  yarns  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
the  fabric  under  discussion  were  made  from  well-grown  three-eighths  ter- 
ritory wool,  carefully  sorted  and  well  scoured.  In  the  latter  operation,  it  is 
necessary  to  use  great  care  if  the  best  possible  fabric  is  to  be  made  from 
the  stock  used.  The  statement  is  often  made  that  it 

Requires  Much  Less  Skill 
to  produce  a  sightly  and  salable  fabric  from  worsted  and  other  high-grade 
stocks  than  from  the  cheaper  wools  and  substitutes.  There  is  much  truth 
in  this  remark,  but  it  is  equally  as  true  that  skill  and  care  are  necessary  to 
produce  the  highest  possible  type  of  merchandise  from  the  more  expensive 
raw  materials,  and  it  is  also  a  fact  that  lack  of  care  in  some  of  the  appar- 
ently unimportant  processes  will  very  much  depreciate  the  quality  of  the 
finished  product. 

This  fact  is  seemingly  overlooked  at  times  by  those  in  charge  of  the 
various  departments,  and  results  in  considerable  worry  and  anxiety  on  the 
part  of  the  finisher  and  dyer  when  the  finished  goods  are  not  up  to  the 
standard.  To  many  of  those  who  are  conversant  with  the  manufacture  of 
worsted  cloths  the  preparatory  processes  from  raw  stock  to  spun  yarn  are 
a  sealed  book.  They  have  a  more  or  less  hazy  idea  that  worsted  yarn  is 
prepared  from  wool  by  m.eans  of  special  machinery,  and  most  of  them  are 
aware  that  somewhere  in  the  system  there  is  a  combing  process,  but  have 
no  definite  idea  as  to  what  the  comb  is  nor  the  functions  it  has  in  the  sys- 
tem of  manufacture.  There  are  m.any  engaged  in  the  various  operations  of 
worsted  cloth  making  who  have 

Never  Seen  the  Wool 

in  its  natural  condition,  and  have  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  various  processes 
jxe^essary  to  convert  it  into  the  strong,  smooth  thread  they  are  accustomed 


330  WOOLEN  AND  WORSTBD  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


to  handle.  It  is  generally  considered  that  the  manufacture  of  worsted  yarns 
is  an  entirely  separate  branch  of  the  industry,  and  for  that  reason  com- 
paratively few  are  conversant  with  both  yarn  production  and  weaving. 

The  weaver  forms  his  opinion  of  the  yarn  from  the  appearance,  han- 
dle and  breaking  strength  of  the  sample,  and  is  totally  unable  to  determine 
the  cause  for  one  lot  being  distinctly  inferior  to  another  of  the  same  grade. 
To  one  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  manufacture  of  yarn  from  the  raw 
stock,  the  cause  of  the  inferiority  may  be  readily  located,  and  in  many  in- 
stances may  be  traced  to  lack  of  due  care  in  one  of  the 

So-Called  Unimportant  Processes. 

If  the  best  possible  results  are  to  be  obtained,  it  must  be  impressed  on  the 
minds  of  every  operative  and  overseer  that  there  is  absolutely  no  such 
thing  as  an  "unimportant  process"  in  textile  manufacturing.  Each  individ- 
ual process  is  extremely  important  and  should  receive  as  much  care  as 
though  the  success  of  the  whole  mill  depended  on  its  proper  performance. 
Wool  scouring,  in  itself  a  seemingly  simple  operation,  may  be  so  poorly 
done  as  to  reduce  the  value  of  the  scoured  wool  to  an  amazing  degree,  and 
to  this,  the  first  mechanical  process  in  the  manufacture  of  yarns,  may  be 
traced  much  of  the  trouble  that  develops  in  other  departments.  It  may  be 
thought  that  such  a  statement  is  overdrawn,  but  many  years'  experience 
has  taught  us  that  the  scouring  is  one  of  the 

Most  Prolific  Sources  of  Trouble 

that  exists  in  the  mill.  This  is  because  of  the  peculiar  physical  structure  of 
the  wool  fibre  itself  and  its  susceptibility  to  injuries  of  various  kinds  that 
materially  impair  its  strength  and  working  qualities.  To  preserve  the  life, 
elasticity  and  luster  of  the  wool  and  bring  it  out  clean,  white  and  lofty 
should  be  the  aim  of  those  in  charge  of  this  very  important  process. 

In  order  to  obtain  these  results,  it  is  essential  that  the  water  supply 
should  be  suitable  for  the  purpose,  that  is,  free  frpm  hardness,  as  it  is  im- 
possible to  satisfactorily  cleanse  wool  in  hard  water.  The  detergents  must 
be  of  good  quality,  free  from  impurities  of  any  kind  that  shall  affect  the 
wool  adversely,  and  the  temperature  of  the  scouring  bath  must  not  be  too 
high.  Under  such  conditions,  and  these  only,  is  it  possible  to  secure  results 
that  are  satisfactory. 

In  preparing  wool  for  worsted  manufacture  there  is  much  less  danger 
of  injuring  the  stock  by  excessive  heat  in  drying,  as  in  the  majority  of 
cases  it  is  not  thoroughly  dried  but  taken  to  the  cards  in  a  slightly  moist 
condition,  and  not  entirely  free  from  soap.  This  is  done  as  an 

Aid  to  the  Carding  Process, 

as  the  wool  while  moist  is  more  easily  opened  and  carded,  with  much  less 
probability  of  injury  to  the  staple.  In  every  process — preparing,  combing, 
gilling  and  drawing — the  utmost  care  should  be  observed  to  preserve  the 
uniformity  of  the  sliver,  and  the  drafts  must  be  arranged  with  due  con- 
sideration for  the  length  of  the  fibre  in  process.  It  must  not  be  supposed 
that  all  so-called  60s,  56s  or  46s  tops  can  be  treated  alike,  as  they  will  vary 
considerably  in  length,  and  must  be  processed  accordingly.  The  numbers 
given  tops  are  quality  numbers,  and  are  not  supposed  to  be  the  equiva- 
lents of  the  yarn  sizes  to  which  the  tops  may  be  spun,  as  many  suppose. 

The  roving  and  reducing  frames  should  be  examined  two  or  three  times 
daily  to  see  that  there  are  no  defective  top  rolls,  as  worn  rolls  will  result 
in  slubby,  uneven  yarn,  and  make  a  very  appreciable  increase  in  the  cost  of 
burling  and  sewing,  as  well  as  decreasing  the  production  in  the  weave  room. 
Finishing  Expense  Increased. 

The  spun  yarn  must  be  doubled  and  twisted  before  it  is  in  condition 
jfor  use,  and  in  these  operations  there  is  much  room  for  improvement.  In 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


331 


many  mills  the  spinner  bobbins  are  put  up  on  the  trap  twister,  the  inter - 
m.ediate  operation  of  doubling  being  dispensed  with.  While  apparently  de- 
creasmg  manufacturing  expense,  this  method  is  considered  by  many  of  our 
more  progressive  manufacturers  to  be  false  economy.  The  saving  effected 
is  more  apparent  than  real,  as  the  use  of  a  cone  winder  and  a  doubling 
machine,  while  involving  an  immediate  expense  for  installation  and  a  con- 
stant labor  charge,  will  more  than  offset  these  items  by  the  greatly  increas- 
ed production  from  the  twisters  and  the  vastly  superior  quality  of  the 
yarn. 

Efficiency  and  Labor  Cost. 

True  efficiency  does  not  consist  in  all  cases  of  reducing  the  expense  of 
the  particular  process  under  consideration,  but  is  obtained  in  some  cases 
by  increasing  the  cost  of  one  operation,  thus  obtaining  a  more  perfect 
product  that  in  subsequent  processes  will  permit  of  the  elimination  of  much 
labor  and  waste,  showing  a  saving  much  greater  than  the  former  expense, 
and  above  all,  making  possible  the  production  of  a  more  nearly  perfect 
fabric. 

Yarn  inspection  is  of  vital  importance  in  the  economics  of  mill  man- 
agement, and  has  been  the  subject  of  no  little  discussion  as  to  the  method 
calculated  to  secure  the  best  results.  In  many  spinning  plants,  yarns  which 
are  to  be  dyed  are  reeled  directly  from  the  spinning  bobbins  and  inspected 
in  the  skein.  This  method,  while  having  some  good  points,  has  more  de- 
fects. It  is  difficult  for  the  operative  to  find  and  remove  all  the  imperfec- 
tions, and  results,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  in  more  or  less  entangling 
of  the  skein,  so  that  winding  is  made  more  difficult,  with  an  increased 
amount  of  waste.  A  much  bettter  method  is  that  in  use  in  a  Rhode  Island 
mill,  where  every  pound  of  yarn  made,  whether  to  be  shipped  in  skeins  or 
on  jack  spools,  is  placed  on  the  inspecting  spooler. 

Inspecting  Spoolers. 

This  differs  but  little  from  the  ordinary  worsted  spooler,  except  that 
there  is  increased  space  between  the  back  and  front  guides,  and  in  this 
space  is  placed  a  board  painted  black,  over  which  the  threads  pass  at  a 
slow  speed,  enabling  the  operative,  seated  behind  the  spool,  to  readily  see 
and  remove  the  various  imperfections.  A  new  type  of  inspecting  spooler, 
especially  adapted  for  ease  of  inspection  and  high  relative  production  is 
the  multiple  inspection  spooler,  perfected  by  the  late  David  D.  McTaggart, 
and  manufactured  by  the  Warp  Compressing  Machine  Company,  Worcester, 
Mass.  In  this  machine  is  combined  perfection  of  spooling  and  ease  of  in- 
spection. In  a  suitable  rack  the  six-inch  spools  or  other  packages  of  yarn 
are  placed  to  the  number  of  240.  The  ends  are  laid  over  a  fixed  roll,  under 
a  roll  movable  in  a  vertical  plane,  which  operates  to  take  up  the  slack 
caused  by  the  overrun  of  the  spools,  over  another  fixed  bearing  roll,  down 
in  front  of  a  black  screen  which  makes  easily  discernible  the  imperfections, 
and  across  to  the  front  of  the  spooler,  in  front  of  which  the  operative  is 
seated,  thence  to  the  compressing  spooler  rolls.  The  machine  is  capable  of 
a  high  percentage  of  production,  is  fitted  with  electrical  stop  motion,  and 
the  spooling  is  the  most  perfect  yet  seen,  each  spool  running  off  clean  to 
the  barrel  with  no  overrun,  slack  ends  or  crossed  threads. 

For  the  fabric  we  are  to  make  the  yarns  are  taken  to  the  reels  and 
put  into  two-ounce  skeins  for  the  dyehouse.  The 

Method  of  Skein  Dyeing 

now  most  generally  used  is  that  in  which  the  skeins  are  placed  on  sticks  in 
a  machine  of  the  Ferris  wheel  type,  kept  extended  to  nearly  their  full 
length  during  operation,  and  by  the  rotation  of  the  spiders  alternately  sub- 
merged in  the  dye -bath  and  raised  from  it.  The  dyes  should  be  dissolved 


332 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


in  a  tub  or  pail  and  strained  before  being  fed  into  the  dye-kettle,  or  un- 
even and  streaky  yarns  may  result.  Do  not  raise  to  a  boil  too  rapidly,  and 
when  the  b^th  has  boiled  for  about  twenty  n  iniites  take  a  sample  to  see 
that  the  work  is  progressing  satisfaciorily.  When  the  desired  shade  has 
been  obtained,  draw  off  the  kettle,  extract  and  hang  the  skeins  on  poles 
to  dry,  or  still  better,  place  them  on  a  cold  air  drying  machine,  which  will 
insure  much  more  satisfactory  results.  Dry  thoroughly  and  take  to  the 
winders  for  transference  to  six-inch  spools,  from  which  the  yarns  may  be 
readily  placed  on  jack  spools  for  the  dresser  or  winder.  Dressing  and 
weaving  should  be  easily  accomplished,  as  the  yarns  are  strong  and  elas- 
tic. When  woven,  inspected  and  measured,  the  burlers  must  raise  the  knots 
on  both  sides,  remove  slugs  and  bits  of  foreign  matter,  tangled  ends  of 
broken  threads,  etc.,  before  sending  the  pieces  to  the  sewers.  The  sewers 
must  replace  broken  ends  and  picks,  repair  wrong  draws,  hard  twist  and 
other  imperfections,  putting  the  pieces  in  as  nearly  perfect  condition  as 
possible,  when  they  are  ready  for  scouring. 

For  Scouring  Worsteds 

a  pure  palm  oil  soap  will  be  found  to  give  excellent  results,  and  will  not 
require  any  great  reenforcement  with  alkali,  as  the  grease  content  of  the 
fabric  is  small.  Scour  until  satisfied  that  the  goods  are  clean,  then  rinse 
until  every  trace  of  soap  is  removed,  extract  and  dry  at  a  moderate  heat. 
Give  a  run  on  the  polisher  and  shear  close  enough  to  bring  every  thread  up 
round  and  distinct.  After  shearing  they  should  be  inspected  and,  if  nec- 
essary, taken  to  the  fine  sewers,  who  will  repair  any  defects.  Brush,  spray 
and  press,  allowing  them  to  cool  off  in  the  roll. 

LAYOUT.  CALCULATIONS. 

3,360  ends;   13  reed.  4  per  dent  =  64.6"  +      3,360  ends  2/32  =  6  oz.  +  10%  take- 

>                 >                '       ^                                  •            lip   =  6.66  OZ. 

11^"  for  listing  =  66"  over  all.  56X66 

,  ,                                                                     56  picks  2/32  =                                 =  6.60  oz. 

56   picks.  560X32-i-16^2 

Dressed:  ^  ,  ,  ,  TToTTZ" 

,  .  ,  ,     ,  ,     ^               ,    ,  .              „  Loom  weight    13.26  oz. 

Light  slate  2/32  worsted. 2  4         2    8  .                   *          i  a  ^» 

Dark  slate  2/32  worsted.  4                   4  13.26  oz.  worsted  +  10%  waste  =  14.06  oz. 

Black   2/32  worsted   4      j  4  COST. 

16  2/32  worsted   (w   76c.  per  lb. 

30      14.06  oz.  @  4%c.  (stock  cost)  =  $  .6678 

  Manufacturing,   56  picks  =  .3580 

480  ■ 

•  7  Net  mill  cost   $1.0258 

♦Sections.  3,360        •    "SgSgSga  7'  '  7' 

Filling-  ?  6  6  6 

Light  slate  2/32  worsted. 4         4         I    8         2    ■"SPSSSH  *  / 

Dark  slate  2/32  worsted.      4  |    4         F    RSSLnnSS        2  2        2  2 

Black  2/32   worsted   4     j    4         ^  1  1  1 

16  5  times.  2  times. 


SCOTCH  TWEEDS 

We  gather  from  history  that  Egypt,  the  cradle  of  so  many  of  our  handi- 
crafts, was  the  birthplace  of  the  loom  and  the  art  of  weaving;  France  to 
have  given  us  the  jacquard  loom,  the  most  capable  mechanism  for  produc- 
ing ornamental  woven  fabrics;  Germany  to  have  increased  the  multiplicity 
of  colors  and  shades  employed  in  the  textile  trade;  England  to  have  given 
us  the  most  improved  machinery  for  transforming  the  raw  material  into 
yarns  and  cloths,  and  Scotland  may  boast  of  being  the  country  which  gave 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


333 


10  the  world  the  Scotch  tweed — the  pure  unadulterated  tweed,  with  its  soft, 
cosy  handle,  its  strength  and  its  elasticity,  its  rich  and  tasteful  colorings, 
which  vie  with  nature  herself  in  the  harmonious  blending  of  colors.  Surely 
none  but  a  Scotchman,  steeped  in  the  colorings  of  the  heather  hills,  could 
devise  such  rich  mixtures  of  colors,  mingling  them  in  such  harmonious  pro- 
portions that  each  blend  or  mixture  represents  in  itself  a  little  touch  of 
*'Auld  Scotland"  so  dear  to  the  hearts  of  her  sons  and  daughters. 

The  writer  was  much  interested  in  reading  in  this  paper,  during  April, 
articles  on  the  "Introduction  and  Development  of  the  Scotch  Tweeds."  The 
author  of  these  articles  stated  the  origin  of  the  heather  mixtures,  which  were 
actually  copied  from  the  blendings  of  the  heather  bloom,  brackens  and 
grasses  on  Buckholm  Hill  at  Galashiels.  The  author  also  mentioned  copying 
the  blends  of  colors  in  the  rocks,  the  reds,  blues  and  greens  mixing  with  the 
slates  and  neutral  greys  of  the  lichens.  There  are  the  well-known  Lovat 
mixtures,  originated  by  Sir  John  Lovat,  and  which  represent  the  colorings 


Scotch  Tweed. 


of  a  Scottish  moor  at  the  beginning  of  the  shooting  season,  which  opens  Ox. 
August  12.  There  are  also  the  mixtures  of  browns,  reds  and  gold,  which 
remind  one  of  the  same  moors  during  the  autumn  months,  when  nature  runw 
riot  with  colors,  and  which  can  be  seen  by  anyone  in  our  own  New  Eng- 
land White  Mountains,  when  the  leaves  are  turning  and  painting  the  land- 
scape in  a  mass  of  color  so  rich  in  its  harmonies  and  so  effective  in  its  con- 
trasts that  the  ^overs  of  nature  stand  transfixed  with  the  beauty  of  the  pic- 
ture that  Dame  Nature  has  painted  for  them. 

Most  Popular  Shades  had  Homely  Origins. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  manufacturers  and  designers  of  the  Scotch 


334 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


tweeds  have  received  much  inspiration  from  the  colorings  of  the  riigcreid 
hills  and  barren  rocks,  the  writer  recalls  the  origin  of  a  very  fashionable 
shade  gotten  up  by  a  Hawick  manufacturer  many  years  ago,  wno  was  p.css- 
ing  along  one  morning  by  the  side  of  the  mill  raceway,  and  noted  the  dis- 
charge of  water  from  the  scouring  rooms  and  dyehouse.  He  called  to  a 
boy,  "Say,  laddie,  rin  and  tell  Tarn  (the  dyer)  to  cam  here."  Tarn  came, 
wondering  what  the  boss  wanted  with  him  on  the  bank  of  the  raceway. 
Possibly  the  thought  that  he  had  discovered  too  much  dyestuff  going  down 
the  river,  but  the  smile  on  his  face  and  his  eager  look  belied  such  a  sus- 
picion. "Tam,  man!  d'ye  see  that  water?  (meaning  the  soapy  mixture  from 
scouring  and  dye  room).  I  want  you  to  dye  me  that  shade."  Tarn  dyed 
it,  and  the  shade  was  the  rage  in  London  that  season,  and  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  the  manufacturer  did  not  tell  of  the  homely  origin  of  his  ''scoop"  in  the 
color  world. 

The  popularity  of  Scotch  tweeds  depends  upon  three  things:  The  sterling 
value  and  soundness  of  the  yarns  employed,  the  artistic  and  model  effects 
of  the  arrangement  of  the  colors,  and  lastly,  great  care  that  the  dyes  used 
should  not  be  of  a  fugitive  nature.  The  weaves  used  generally  are  the  plain 
cloth  and  the  four-harness  twill,  probably  15  out  of  every  20  pieces  being 
made  up  of  one  or  the  other  of  these  weaves,  the  four-harness  twill  giving 
the  best  handle  of  cloth,  and  standing  the  tear  and  wear  m.ost  satisfactorily 
in  Saxony  and  cheviot  goods. 

In  the  originating  and  blending  of  colors  in  new  mixtures  great  care 
should  be  given  to  color  harmony  and  the  proportions  of  each  color  in  re- 
gard to  its  complementary  color.  For  instance,  note  how  a  bright  green  leaf 
or  a  brilliant  emerald  at  the  throat  intensifies  the  freshness  of  the  ladies' 
complexion;  the  ripe  red  cherries  among  the  glossy  green  leaves,  or  the 
yellow  pansy  with  its  purple  throat,  are  examples  of  the  happy  color  com- 
binations in  art  and  nature.  In  order  to  get  an  idea  of 

Color  Harmonies, 

mark  out  an  equal-sided  triangle  on  a  piece  of  paper.  On  one  side  or  angle 
write  red,  another  blue,  another  yellow.  These  are  the  primary  colors,  and 
all  others  are  made  by  combinations  of  these  three.  Between  the  blue  and 
red  write  purple;  between  blue  and  yellow  write  green,  and  between  red  and 
yellow  write  orange.  These  are  made  by  the  union  of  the  two  nearest  colors. 
The  opposite  colors  of  the  triangle  are  complementary  to  each  other.  Red 
is  complementary  of  green,  yellow  of  purple,  blue  of  orange,  and  so  on 
through  the  numberless  grades  of  these  colors.  Now,  in  order  to  give  the 
greatest  value  to  any  color,  its  complement  of  the  same  strength  should  ac- 
company it.  But  if  a  color  is  to  be  subdued,  put  a  nearly  related  color  with 
it  instead  of  its  complement.  For  instance  to  subdue  a  too  yellow  face  use 
yellow  trimmings  or  gold  ornaments  but  never  purple,  which  is  the  com- 
plementary color  of  yellow  and  intensifies  that  shade. 

Neutral  tints  of  different  shades  in  combination  are  all  right  except  that 
they  look  rather  flat  and  are  not  especially  attractive  but  when  a  high  color 
is  used  in  a  mixture  its  complement  of  similar  strength  or  some  color  nearly 
related  to  its  complement  should  go  with  it.  Different  shades  of  the  same 
color  kill  each  other  every  time.  Red  and  purple,  red  and  orange,  blue  and 
green,  blue  and  purple,  yellow  and  orange  or  yellow  and  green  should  never 
go  together  except  to  subdue  each  other.  They  are  first  cousins  and  should 
never  wed.  If  anyone  desires  to 

Experiment  for  Himself 

and  find  the  complementary  color  of  any  other  shade,  let  him  look  intently 
for  a  minute  in  a  strong  light  at  a  round  spot  of  any  fancy  color,  then  ^aze 
at  a  piece  of  white  paper  and  he  will  see  its  complem.entary  color  reflected 
on  the  paper.  In  selecting  wools  for  mixtures  always  choose  a  free,  open 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


335 


wool  for  the  white  and  the  bright,  fancy  colors.  This  wool  should  he  some- 
what finer  than  that  which  is  used  for  the  dark  colors.  The  reason  for  this 
is  that  when  you  use  a  coarse  wool  for  white  and  the  bright,  fancy  shades,  it 
gives  a  coarse,  hairy  appearance  to  the  goods  and  detracts  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  cloth.  Coarser  wools  may  be  used  in  all  the  dark  shades. 
The  following  are  a  few  of  them: 


38% 
38% 
12% 
12% 

100% 
50% 


100% 


100% 

25% 
5% 
20% 
20% 
30% 

100% 

15% 
10% 
20% 
55% 

100% 

20 


Med.  blue  indigo. 

Claret. 

Yellow. 

White. 


White. 

Cinnamon  brown. 
Fawn  drab. 


67%  Black. 
25%      Dark  plum. 
8  %  Scarlet. 


Orange. 
Bright  red. 
White. 

Green,  pine  tree. 

Tan,  light  shade  oak  leaf  after  frost. 


Heather  bloom. 
O  d  gold. 
White. 

Olive,   (greenish  shade). 


Cinnamon  brown. 
12V2%  Dark  purple. 
10%      Old  gold. 
57y2%  White. 


100% 

15% 
10% 
10% 
65% 

100% 


Purple. 
Old  gold. 
Apple  green. 
White. 


Med.  indigo  blue. 
Bismark  brown. 
Yellow. 


40% 
30% 
30% 

100% 


45%  White. 

35%  Green. 

15%  Orange. 

5  %  Red. 


100% 

38% 
22% 
12% 
12% 
16% 

100% 


Med.  indigo  blue. 
White. 

Dark  yellow  brown. 
Purple. 

Bright  yellow. 


171/2%  Canary. 

7V^%  Bright  blue. 

15%  Pine  tree  green. 

15%  Heather  bloom. 

45%  Black. 


100% 

10% 
25% 
30% 
35% 

100% 

15% 
10% 
15% 
60% 

100% 

20%, 
45% 
35% 

100% 


Orange. 

Dark  stone  drab. 
Heather  bloom. 
Light  tan. 


Old  gold. 
Purple. 
Apple  green. 
Med.  navy  blue. 


Golden  yellow. 

White. 

Bl?.ck. 


In  the  successful  manufacture  of  these  Scotch  woolens,  whether  in  the 
fine  Saxonies  or  in  the  cheviot  mixtures,  there  are  a  great  many  points 
throughout  each  department  of  the  mill  which  play  an  important  part  in  the 
appearance  of  the  finished  goods.  These  points,  separately,  may  seem  to  a 
person  who  is  not  trained  in  the  business  as  trifling  and  unimportant,  but 
collectively  they  are  of  great  moment,  as  each  particular  part  contributes 
its  share  in  producing  a  perfect  piece  of  goods.  It  is  by  having  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  all  these  general  points  that  the  products  of  some  manufac- 
turers excel  so  much  in  the  general  appearance  and  handle  others  who  may 
be  using  the  same  stock,  and,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  making  the  same 
class  of  goods;  yet  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  finished  product,  so 
much  so  that  an  experienced  buyer  can  lay  his  hand  on  the  best  and  say, 
"This  is  the  handle  and  finish  I  want."  This 

Knowledge  of  "Small  Things" 

can  only  be  acquired  by  careful  attention  and  close  observation  through 
many  years  of  practical  manufacturing  in  progressive  mills.    A  successful 


336 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


manufacturer  must  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  wools,  not  only  as  to 
grade  and  quality  but  should  understand  the  peculiarities  and  nature  of  the 
different  grades,  and  how  each  will  card,  spin  and  finish.  It  is  also  essen- 
tial to  have  a  good  general  knowledge  of  the  processes  of  finishing  the  va- 
rious fabrics,  in  order  to  be  able  to  select  and  blend  the  most  suitable  wools 
for  any  particular  fabric  and  finish.  It  is  well  known  to  all  practical  men 
that  wools  which  are  suitable  for  one  fabric  and  finish  may  be  quite  inap- 
propriate for  another  one.  For  fine  mixtures  and  twists  the  wools  should  be 
very  carefully  selected,  as  imperfect  and  faulty  wools  will  cause  specks 
in  the  mixtures  and  uneven  or  twitty  yarns;  but  such  wools  may  be  used  in 
solid  or  dark  colors  if  the  yarns  are  not  to  be  spun  very  fine. 
All  lots  of  wool  should  be  graded  or  sorted  into  the  different  lots  in  or- 
der to  get  the  percentage  of  each  grade,  and  tests  should  be  made  of  each 
to  find  the  loss  in  scouring,  so  that  a  manufacturer  may  know  the  cost  of 
the  clean  wool  of  each  lot. 

Clean  and  Lofty  Wools  Important. 

It  is  important  to  have  the  wools  clean  and  lofty,  not  only  on  account  of 
the  dyeing  but  for  the  after  processes  of  carding  and  spinning,  as  clean  wool 
will  dye  into  more  brilliant  colors,  card  more  freely,  spin  to  finer  counts 
and  finish  up  with  a  better  luster.  Wools  badly  scoured  will  not  take  the 
dye  evenly,  and  the  colors  will  be  dull  and  lifeless.  In  carding,  the  machines 
will  ''gum  up,"  the  roping  will  be  uneven  and  twitty,  and  there  will  bo 
a  large  percentage  of  waste.  Wools  well  scoured  and  prepared  make  easy 
work  in  the  card  room  and  good  results  in  all  the  after  processes. 

By  far  the  best  results  in  wool  scouring  are  obtained  by  the  use  of 
potash  salts,  in  fact,  no  other  alkali  should  be  used  in  wool  scouring.  This 
is  fully  borne  out  by  nature,  which  invariably  assimilates  the  most  appro- 
priate substances.  The  natural  grease  of  the  wool  consists  of  nearly  half  its 
weight  of  carbonate  of  potash,  hardly  a  trace  of  soda  being  present.  The 
difference  between  the  use  of  potash  and  soda  for  this  purpose  is  very  mark- 
ed. Potash  softens  the  wool,  making  it  handle  lofty,  and  also  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent bleaches  or  whitens  it,  while  soda  has  a  tendency  to  make  the  fibres 
harsh  and  gives  it  a  dull  appearance. 

Let  us  now  pass  the  carding  and  spinning  of  the  yarns  and  turn  our 
attention  to  the 

Design  Department 

and  its  relation  to  the  success  of  the  mill.  In  order  to  produce  novelty  in 
design,  a  large  amount  of  painstaking  work  must  be  bestowed  in  the  ef- 
fort. We  have  too  few  designers  who  can  really  devote  a  proper  length  of 
time  to  the  work,  and  too  few  manufacturers  who  supply  the  needed  stim- 
ulus in  the  shape  of  good  textile  journals  and  selected  patterns  from  other 
centers  of  trade.  These  samples  are  not  for  copying,  but  they  give  a  stim- 
ulus in  ideas  for  color  combinations  and  in  fabrication  of  cloths.  There  has 
not  been  much  in  woven  design  of  late  years  in  Scotch  tweeds.  The  weave 
used  has  been  principally  the  four-harness  twill,  and  the  design  has  been 
made  by  the  combination  of  colors  and  mixtures,  enhanced  by  the  skillful 
use  of  fancy  threads  for  stripe  effects,  these  fancy  threads  in  many  cases 
being  fine  silk  yarns,  and  it  is  here  that  skillful  arrangement  of  pattern  and 
colors  shows  to  advantage.  Harmonious  colorings  are  always  wanted,  and 
it  may  be  truly  said  that  the  first  thing  the  merchant  or  consumer  looks  at 
is  the  color,  or  the  harm.ony  of  color,  employed  in  the  design,  and  unless 
this  is  pleasing  to  the  eye,  the  fabric  however  well  made  will  find  but  an 
indifferent  market.  Strictly  speaking,  the  buyer  purchases  the  cloth  on  the 
merits  of  the  colors,  the  quality,  of  course,  being  right,  rather  than  on  the 
merits  of  the  weave  or  the  pattern  design. 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTlt)  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


337 


The  Scotch  tweed  is  made  both  in  the  fine  Saxony  wools  and  in  the 
coarser  crossbreds  and  cheviots,  but  it  is  more  in  the  cheviot  qualities  that 
we  find  the  characteristic  Scottish  mixtures,  the  coarser  lustrous  wools 
showing  up  the  rich  combination  of  colors  to  greater  advantage,  and  in 
some  way  the  quality  of  the  wools  harmonize  with  the  general  character  of 
both  color  and  fabric.  But  if  the  same  strong  colors  were  used  in  the  mix- 
tures of  fine  Saxony  woolens,  the  effect  would  be  incongruous,  and  lacking 
in  harmony  and  adaptability.  In  the  fine  Saxony  tweed  the  colors  are  more 
subdued  and  softer.  The  designs  are  neat  and  unobtrusive,  but  there  is  a 
certain  character  in  the  Saxony  cloth  that  is  distinctive,  and  it  does  not 
need  strong  or  loud  mixtures  to  make  it  so,  but  rather  the  reverse.  Scotch 
manufacturers  are  continually  experimenting  in  new  combinations  of  wools 
to  get  new  effects,  and  a  fine  mohair  wool  may  be  used  in  varying  propor- 
tions, also  Llama  wools,  etc. 

Finishing. 

The  finishing  of  Scotch  tweeds  is  a  very  important  part,  and  requires 
careful  attention,  as  the  handle  and  appearance  of  the  finished  product  is 
as  essential  as  the  color  or  design,  and  an  unsatisfactory  finish  would  con- 
demn a  cloth  however  good  it  may  be  in  all  other  respects.  The  usual  proc- 
ess is  to  scour  the  goods  before  fulling,  as  this  gives  a  more  lofty  handle  to 
the  fabric  and  brighter  colors.  A  light  scouring  liquor  is  best  for  this  pur- 
pose, say  about  l^^  to  2  ounces  of  soap  to  the  gallon,  and  this  'may  be 
strengthened  by  adding  a  few  pailfuls  of  a  liquor  made  up  with  ammoniated 
potash,  which  will  assure  a  thorough  saponification  of  all  oils,  etc.,  in  the 
goods,  and  allow  of  its  being  readily  rinsed  off.  The  fulling  soap  should  be 
almost  neutral  and  made  up  of  pure  materials.  The  goods  while  in  the 
process  of  fulling  should  be  kept  cool,  very  little  fulling  being  needed,  as  the 
characteristic  of  the  cloth  is  loftiness  and  softness  of  handle,  and  any  excess 
of  fulling  would  render  it  stiff  and  boardy. 

In  the  final  scouring,  after  fulling,  use  plenty  of  warm  water,  not  over 
110  degrees,  rinsing  well,  and  give  a  few  pints  of  aqua  ammonia  in  the  last 
scouring  bath,  which  will  insure  the  thorough  saponification  of  all  fatty 
acids  and  guarantee  bright,  snappy  colors  in  the  goods.  After  the  soap  is 
all  rinsed  out  of  the  goods, 

Give  a  Bath  of  Fuller's  Earth, 

which  has  wonderful  softening  and  cleansing  properties  that  are  much  ap- 
preciated by  all  Scottish  finishers.  The  usual  proportion  is  two  pailfuls  of 
the  refined  earth  to  a  barrel  of  water,  and  use  six  pailfuls  of  this  solution 
in  a  four-string  washer.  Run  for  15  to  20  minutes,  and  rinse  well  in  cold 
water.  This  treatment  will  give  a  very  soft  and  kindly  handle  to  the  goods. 
After  extracting  the  goods,  roll  them  up  under  heavy  pressure  on  a  roll,  and 
let  them  lie  overnight.  Dry  next  day  at  as  low  a  temperature  as  is  con- 
sistent with  the  production  of  the  mill,  and  before  shearing  give  the  pieces 
a  good  brushing  on  a  steam  brush.  Do  not  shear  close,  cut  off  any  rough 
fibres,  but  leave  all  the  fine,  short  nap.  Give  a  good  run  on  the  dewing  ma- 
chine, and  let  it  lie  some  hours  before  pressing.  Press  medium,  and  let  goods 
lie  on  roll  until  cold. 


338 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


SCOTCH   SAXONY    TWEED.  LAYOUT. 

1.920  ends;  reed  9^      —    —    _    =    66"  inside  listing  +  1"  for  listing  -=  67"  over  all. 
3      4  3 

Warp  pattern:  Thrds. 

Twist    111111  11  1111111  =15 

White  1    11111111  111111111  =18 

Grey    11  i      i  =4 

Silk    3  =3 

40  threads  in  pattern  X  8  patterns  X  6  sections  =  1,920  ends. 

YARNS. 

Twist  5x5  runs,  left  twist;  50%  grey  and  white,  twist  right  (12  turns). 

White  214  runs,  right  twist. 

Grey   2^4  runs,  right  twist,  50%  white  mix. 

Silk   20/2S  white. 

Pilling:  Black  2%  run,  spun  soft,  right  twist,  crossbred  wool. 

720  ends  5x5  run  twist  =    2^4  runs  =       3.20  oz. 

864  ends  white  =     214  runs  =       3.84  oz. 

192  ends  grey,  50%  =     2%  runs  =       0.85  oz. 

144  ends  white  silk  =     20/2s  =       0.27  oz. 

Filling,  67"  X  36  picks  =  2,412  -^2%  run  =       8.77  oz. 

16.93  oz. 

Plus  10%   =       1.69  oz. 

Loom  weight    18.62  oz. 

Finished  weight,  15  oz. 

7.89  oz.  warp  yarn,  fine  wool  +  10%  +  15%  waste  allowance  =  10.20  oz. 

27  oz.  warp  silk  +  10%  +  3%  waste  allowance  =      .31  oz. 

8.77  oz.  filling  crossbred  -}-  10%  +  15%  waste  allowance  =  11.34  oz. 

COST. 

10.20  oz.  fine  wool  @  56  cents  per  pound  =  $  .3570 

.27  oz.  silk   @   $3  per  pound  =  .0506 

8.77  oz.  crossbred  @  44  cents  per  pound  =  .2411 

$  .6487 

Manufacturing  charges:  36  picks  @  94/100  =  .3384 

Extra  for  twisting  =  .0124 


Net  cost   $  .9995 


NOVELTY  CHEVIOT  DRESS  GOODS 

The  demand  for  novelties  in  fabrics  for  ladies'  wear  has  led  to  the  use 
of  a  great  variety  of  unusual  and  freak  yarns  in  the  offerings  for  the  pres- 
ent season.  A  large  proportion  of  these  require  the  use  of  special  machinery 
in  their  manufacture  and  are  rendered  expensive  from  the  fact  that  they 
are  produced  slowly  and  entail  a  large  number  of  operations  in  their  prep- 
aration. In  the  case  of  the  rating  and  eponge  yarns  this  is  particularly 
noticeable,  as  the  loop,  or  knot,  must  be  made  on  a  special  twister  and  a 
binder  thread  afterward  put  on  by  means  of  another  operation.  It  will  be 
readily  understood  that  each  process  in  the  production  of  a  yarn  or  fabric 
adds  materially  to  the  cost  of  manufacture  and  must  be  figured  in  the  price 
of  the  goods.  A  large  number  of  the  dress  goods  into  which  novelty  yarns 
are  woven 

Have  Been  Woven  in  the  Grey 

and  colored  into  solid  shades,  the  only  unusual  feature  being  the  peculiar 
type  of  yarn  from  which  they  are  constructed.  The  fabric  chosen  for  anal- 
ysis here  is  made  from  relatively  coarse  yarns  in  two-ply  of  contrasting 
colors.  Prom  examination  of  the  finished  sample  it  is  impossible  to  deter- 
mine whether  the  shades  were  both  made  by  top-dyeing,  or  the  black  was 
top-dye(J,  twisted  with  a  white,  and  the  fancy  color  is  the  result  of  piece- 
dyeing.  The  texture  of  the  fabric  is  somewhat  low,  counting  only  38  threads 
per  inch  in  the  warp,  with  an  equal  number  in  the  filling.    Instead  of  em- 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


339 


ploying  a  somewhat  tighter  weave,  as  is  customary  in  most  instances  with 
a  c.oih  of  compaiativeiy  low  texture,  the  direct  opposite  is  the  case,  and 
the  six-hainess  even-sided  twill  has  been  used.  The  result  is  a  rather 
loosely  woven  cloth,  but  one  that  should  prove  very  satisfactory  for  the  uses 
lor  which  it  is  intended. 

There  are  many  reasons  to  suppose  the  goods  are  woven  black  and 
white,  with  the  white  colored  in  the  piece.  The  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  this  method  are  many  and  will  be  readily  appreciat-ed  by  anyone  con- 
versant with  manufacturing  processes.  By  this  method  a  larger  part  of  the 
waste  made  will  be  in  an  uncolored  condition,  thereby  commanding  a  higher 
price  and  a  much  more  ready  sale.  A  still  more  important  consideration  is 
the  fact  that  a  great  variety  of  styles  can  be  made  from  the  same  warps, 
a  fact  that  means  many  times  the  difference  between  a  successful  season 
and  one  that  proves  unprofitable.  By  weaving  the  goods  black  and  white,  it 
is  possible  to  put  larger  quantities  of  yarn  in  the  warps,  which  means  a 

Saving  of  Expense  in  the  Spinning 

mill,  and  this  method  also  permits  of  better  deliveries  to  customers  of 
desirable  colors.  If  the  goods  are  made  from  slub-dyed  yarns,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  put  in  process  warps  of  each  shade  sold,  but  by  the  piece-dyeing 
method  it  is  only  necessary  to  weave  the  black  and  white,  get  them  ready 
for  the  dyehouse,  and  color  the  desired  shades  as  they  are  needed  to  fill 
orders. 

The  yarns  are  spun  on  the  Bradford  system  from  crossbred  wools  of 
good  staple,  but  not  particularly  high  grade.  For  the  goods  here  described 
a  quarter-blood  wool  was  used,  probably  a  South  American.  After  sorting 
and  scouring,  the  stock  was  carded,  put  through  the  slubbing  gill  boxes  and 
placed  on  a  Noble  comb.  After  combing,  the  top  from  which  the  black  was 
to  be  made  was  put  through  a  gill  box  and  wound  into  balls  ready  for  the 
dyehouse.  In  some  mills  it  is  still  the  custom  to  color  tops  in  a  machine 
primarily  intended  for  yarn  in  the  skein,  but  the  great  amount  of  waste 
made  and  the  unsatisfactory  results  achieved  have  led  to  the  installation  of 
more  modern  methods  in  the  majority  of  plants.  One  of  the  most  satisfac- 
tory anpliances  for  coloring  worsted  tops  is  an  arrangement  esbentially  as 
described.  The  balls  are  packed  in  a  suitable  receptacle  around  a  central 
perforated  spindle,  and  the  whole  submerged  in  a  tank  containing  the  dye- 
liquor.  A  pump  is  piped  to  the  central  spindle  and  forces  the  hot  dye-bath 
through  the  stock,  securing  perfect  penetration  and 

Absolutely  Level  Dyeing, 
with  no  injury  to  the  tops,  which  is  more  than  can  be  truthfully  said  of 
some  of  the  processes  in  use.  When  the  desired  shade  has  been  obtained, 
the  dye-bath  is  drawn  off,  the  tops  cooled  and  rinsed  in  cold  water.  After 
extracting,  the  balls  of  top  are  sent  to  the  back  washer,  where  they  are 
thoroughly  cleansed  and  dried.  From  the  back  washer  they  proceed  through 
the  necessary  gilling  process,  then  into  the  drawing  room,  where,  by  suc- 
cessive doublings  and  drawings,  the  fibre  is  finally  made  into  a  roving  of  the 
size  required  to  spin  the  yarn  necessary  for  the  goods  to  be  made. 

Meantime  the  white  stock  has  passed  through  a  series  of  similar  opera- 
tions, aside  from  the  dyeing,  and  has  been  spun  into  yarn  ready  for  the 
doubling.  In  some  plants  it  is  customary  to  double  and  twist  in  two  opera- 
tions, while  in  others  the  trap  twister  is  used,  which  permits  of  performing 
both  operations  on  the  same  machine  at  one  time,  a  considerable  saving  in 
labor  and  expense.  In  making  the  two-ply  the  twist  should  not  exceed 
eight  turns  per  inch.  When  twisted  the  yarn  should  be  wound  on  six-inch 
spools,  from  which  it  is  transferred  to  the  dresser  spool  by 

Means  of  the:  *kispecting  Spooler.     ^        ^  ^ 
This  differs  somewhat  from  the  cTdi^^Tj-  'ty^      %pot)f(^T!  inttfi«.l*if  Bs  topr 
erated  at  a  much  lower  rate  of  ST>sed  and 'h^sI!)etwodib  tlie  ^i^dn'^  ^viid*bkcic 


340 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


guides  a  space  of  some  20  to  30  inches.  In  this  space  is  arranged  a  board 
which  is  painted  to  contrast  with  the  yarns  to  be  inspected.  Over  this  the 
yarn  travels  at  a  speed  which  enables  the  operator  to  detect  imperfections 
and  remove  them,  saving  much  valuable  time  in  the  finishing  room,  as  it 
will  be  easily  understood  that  imperfect  yarn  may  be  removed  here  much 
more  readily  than  from  the  woven  cloth,  and  at  a  materially  lower  cost. 
The  warps  are  made  on  a  dry  dressing  frame  and  transferred  directly  to 
the  loom  beam,  as  there  is  no  danger  of  chafing  and  breaking  during  the 
process  of  weaving.    The  use  of  a 

Warp  Compressor 

while  beaming  is  a  distinct  advantage,  as  it  allows  of  dressing  and  beaming 
without  undue  strain  on  the  yarn  and  permits  of  placing  a  considerably 
greater  yardage  on  the  beam  than  is  possible  without  an  appliance  of  this 
nature.  Not  only  is  it  a  saving  in  thrums  and  head  ends  because  of  the 
greater  length  of  warp  possible  to  place  on  a  beam,  but  the  warp  is  ap- 
preciably firmer,  weaves  better,  and  has  the  natural  life  and  elasticity  of 
the  yarn  preserved  to  a  marked  degree,  making  a  distinctly  better  piece 
of  goods  than  can  be  produced  without  its  use. 

Fabrics  of  this  type  are  particularly  well  adapted  for  weaving  on  the 
two-loom  systetn,  as  the  yarns  are  strong,  have  no  tendency  to  chafe  and 
should  run  with  a  minimum  of  breakage  from  beginning  to  end  of  the  warp. 
If  the  loom  is  well  adjusted  when  the  warp  is  started  there  should  be  prac- 
tically no  occasion  for  the  fixer  to  touch  it  for  days  at  a  time,  aside  from 
the  necessity  of  replacing  a  broken  strap  or  a  part  that  becomes  worn.  A 
very  important  feature  that  is  overlooked  by  some  weavers  is  the 

Proper  Oiling  of  the  Loom. 

Unless  this  extremely  important  detail  receives  attention  at  proper  inter- 
vals it  is  impossible  to  get  the  production  that  should  be  had  from  the 
weave  room.  In  not  a  few  cases  it  has  been  found  that  the  chief  reason  for 
the  unsatisfactory  wage  earned  by  a  weaver  is  the  lack  of  care  given  the 
loom  and  inattention  to  the  proper  oiling  of  the  parts.  It  is  impossible  for 
any  piece  of  machinery  to  do  satisfactory  work  if  it  is  allowed  to  become 
clogged  with  dirt  or  stiff  from  lack  of  proper  lubrication.  It  is  not  by  any 
means  an  unknown  occurrence  for  weavers  to  so  mistreat  a  loom  that  it 

Becomes  Fit  for  tlie  Scrap  Heap, 

while  another,  bought  at  the  same  time  and  used  under  practically  the  same 
conditions,  remains,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  good  as  new,  simply 
owing  to  the  fact  that  one  has  been  operated  by  an  intelligent  weaver,  while 
the  other  has  been  abused  by  an  inferior  type  of  operative. 

Under  good  average  conditions  it  should  be  possible  to  attain  an  ex- 
tremely good  production  at  a  low  cost  for  supplies  and  overhead  expense, 
as  the  looms,  preferably  82-inch,  may  be  operated  at  a  speed  of  110  picks  a 
minute,  and  should  give  no  trouble  at  that  speed  if  well  cared  for.  In  fact, 
it  is  common  practice  to  operate  82-inch  looms  at  120  picks  per  minute  on 
much  more  difficult  fabrics  than  the  type  here  analyzed.  It  must  not  be 
understood  from  the  foregoing  that  excessive  speed  is  advocated,  as  it  is 
an  incontrovertible  fact  that 

High  Speed  and  Production 
are  not  in  a  direct  ratio.  There  are  many  instances  that  can  be  cited  to 
prove  that  a  reduction  of  speed  has  increased  the  production.  There  is  a 
point  where  an  increase  of  speed  ceases  to  mean  an  increase  of  output,  and 
the  skilled  overseer  will  be  guided  by  conditions  in  his  department,  in  de- 
ciding as  to  when  the  limit  hf's  be^n  reached.  It  would  be  the  height  of 
folly  to  put  forward  the  claim  that  the^locoms  should  be  operated  at  a  certain 
sp:eed  under  every  condition.'  That  lum  speed  with  strong  two-ply  warps 
and  corajsaratJyely  eapy:  weaves' is;  feasible  cannot  be  successfully  disputed, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


341 


but  that  the  same  sneed  should  be  used  with  single  or  tender  warps  of  fine 
yarns  is  not  to  be  thought  of,  and  if  one  has  so  little  good  judgment  as  to 
uiideitake  it,  tailure  will  be  the  inevitable  result  of  such  a  trial.  As  soon 
as  convenient,  after  coming  from  the  looms,  the  pieces  should  be  measured, 
inspected,  the  imperfections  marked  and  the  necessary  memoranda  made 
in  a  book  or  on  sheets  provided  for  the  purpose,  so  that  such  detailed  in- 
formation concerning  each  piece  may  be  readily  available  should  it  become 
desirable  to  look  it  up  at  any  time.  The  burling  and  mending  should  re- 
quire but  little  time,  as  the  goods  should  be  comparatively  free  from  knots, 
slugs  or  broken  threads. 

From  the  sewing  room  the  pieces  are  taken  to  the  washer  and  thor- 
oughly scoured,  then  put  through  the  crabbing  machine  and  are 

Ready  for  the  Dyehouse. 
There  should  be  no  difficulty  in  bringing  the  goods  out  even  in  color 
and  free  from  shades  if  the  preliminary  operations  have  been  carefully 
performed.  One  of  the  most  common  sources  of  uneven  results  in  the  dye- 
house  is  the  crabbing  operation,  and  this  should  have  careful  supervision. 
On  the  completion  of  the  coloring,  the  pieces  ehould  be  cooled  off  and 
rinsed  before  they  are  removed  from  the  dye-kettle,  then  immediately  ex- 
tracted and  dried.  The  drying  is  usually  accomplished  by  means  of  a  chain 
dryer,  which  carries  the  damp  cloth  into  a  drying  chamber,  where  the  air 
is  heated  by  means  of  steam  pipes.  Care  should  be  observed  not  to  dry 
the  goods  too  rapidly,  as  the  handle  of  the  goods  is  deteriorated  by  exces- 
sive heat.  A  single  run  over  the  shear  is  all  that  will  be  necessary,  then 
the  pieces  may  be  brushed,  sprayed  and  pressed. 


LAYOUT. 

2,044  ends;   7%   reed,   4  in  dent  =   64"  4- 

IMs"  for  listing  =  65.5"  over  all. 
38  picks. 

CALCULATIONS. 

2,044  ends  2/24  worsted  =  4.866  oz. 

4-   5%   take-up   =  5.12  oz. 

38X65.5 

18  picks    2/24  =                               =  5.92  oz. 


Loom  weight 


24X  560-^-2-f-16 


11.04  oz. 


COST. 

11.04   oz.    +   7%   waste   =  11.87  oz. 

@   76c.   per  lb  =  $  .5638 

Manufacturing,  38  picks   =  .2300 

Net  mill  cost    $  .7938 

6   harness,   straight  draw. 

o  □□"  ■■■ 


WORSTED  SHEPHERD  PLAID 

Domestic  manufacturers  of  dress  goods  are  not  given  the  credit  they 
deserve  in  many  instances.  In  soiling  p  ece  goods  over  the  counter,  or  re  'dv 
to-wear  gowns,  many  of  the  sales  force  are  tempted  to  insinuate,  if  not  to 
state  boldly,  that  the  fabrics  are  the  product  of  foreign  manufacturers, 
when,  if  the  truth  was  known,  the  cloth  or  gown  m  question  is  entirely  a 
domestic  production,  made  from  woo's  grown  in  our  own  country,  the  yarns 
manufactured  by  a  domestic  spinner  and  the  goods  woven  in  one  of  our  New 
England  mills.  Fortunately,  the  word  "foreign"  is  not  of  as  great  weight 
with  the  consumer  as  formerly,  experience  having  taught  many  buyers  that 
domestic  cloths  are  as  satisfactory  and,  in  many  cases,  of  more 
intrinsic  worth  than  those  from  abroad.  The  "many  buyers  who 
have  been  told  so  often  by  the  high-priced  department  stores  that 
'these  models  are  all  made  from  imported  fabrics"  and  *'it  is  impossible  to 
obtain  the  beautiful  lines  of  this  gown  if  we  use  domestic  cloths"  should 
take  these  stories  with  a  liberal  allowance  of  salt.  In  the  great  majority  of 
cases  the  fabrics  are  the  production  of  domestic  manufacturers,  and  the 
model  was  designed  in  a  "studio"  on  Manhattan  Island.  The  fabric  shown 


342 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


herewith  is  made  from  a  fine  territory  staple  wool,  spun  to  comparatively 
high  counts,  giving  a  fine  texture  with  relatively  light  weight.  The  use  of 
a  fine  wool  not  only  permits  of  producing  a  fine,  light-weight  cloth,  but 
also  gives  a  fabric  that  lends  itself  readily  to  the  draped  effects  that  are 
now  so  popular  a  feature  of  garments  for  women's  wear.  In  addition  to  this 
very  essential  feature,  it  also  possesses  a  particularly  soft,  silky  handle  that 
can  be  obtained  only  by  the  use  of  a  fine,  well-grown,  healthy  wool. 

There  are  many  reasons  why  fabrics  of  this  type  are  more  particularly 
adapted  for  production  in  combed  than  in  carded  yarns,  especially  if  they 
are  to  be  used  in  women's  apparel.  One  of  the  most  important  is  the  fact 
that  a  much  lighter- weight  cloth  may  be  made,  and  another  is  that 
on  the  worsted  system  it  is  possible  to  produce  a  thread  that  is  much  finer 
than  any  that  can  possibly  be  manufactured  without  the  aid  of  combs,  and 
by  using  these  fine  yarns  it  is  a  comparatively  easy  matter  to  produce 

A  Cloth  of  High  Texture, 

which  enhances  the  appearance  of  the  fabric  very  m'^teriallv.  T'^en.  too, 
the  inherent  differences  in  the  yarns,  made  by  these  two  totally  dissimilar 
methods  of  production,  have  a  very  decided  effect  upon  the  ultimate  ap- 
pearance of  the  t^nished  goods.  To  one  familiar  with  the  procedure  in  n^ak- 
ing  worsted  and  woolen  yarns  this  statement  will  need  nothing  in  the  way 
of  confirmation  or  explanation,  but  for  the  enlightenment  nf  th^se  ho  have 
never  had  the  pleasure  and  privilege  of  seeing  the  manufacturing  processes 
of  both  systems,  a  short  explanation  of  each  may  be  of  interest. 

In  the  production  of  carded,  or  as  they  are  generally  termed  "woolen" 
yarns,  the  operations  are  few  and  comparatively  simple.  The  wool  is  given 
a  certain  amount  of  oil,  varying  with  the  grade  and  amount  of  other  stocks 
used  in  combination,  run  through  the  mixing  picker,  which  thoroughly  opens 
and  mixes  the  stock,  leaving  it  in  first-class  condition  for  the  cards. 

Carding  Most  Important. 

This  is  possibly  the  most  Important  department  In  a  woolen  mill,  al- 
though some  of  our  friends  who  are  dyers  and  finishers  may  take  exception 
to  such  a  statement.  Nevertheless,  the  extreme  importance  of  good  work  in 
the  card  room  will  be  admitted  by  everyone,  as  it  may  be  stated  with  no 
fear  of  successful  contradiction,  that  careless  work  in  this  department 
means  greater  expense,  less  production  and  inferior  results  in  every  suc- 
ceeding process.  The  primary  object  of  carding  is  to  complete  the  mixing 
and  opening  of  the  wool  which  was  begun  in  the  mixing  picker,  making  an 
even  and  homogeneous  blend  of  the  various  colors  and  stocks,  an^  to  red^^ce 
the  mass  of  stock  to  ribbons  of  suitable  size  for  spinnins:  Into  thread.  The 
fundamental  difference  between  a  woolen  and  worsted  thread  is  th-^t  in  the 
latter  there  is  but  little  effort  toward  the  paralleHzation  of  the  fi- 
bres, while  the  whole  tendency  and  aim  of  the  worsted  system  Is  to  pro- 
duce a  thread,  every  fibre  of  which  shall  be 

Laid  Straight  and  Parallel 

to  each  other.  In  the  woolen  system,  it  is  the  custom  to  use  three  cards  in 
a  set,  termed  the  first  breaker,  second  breaker  and  finisher.  The  three  ma- 
chines are  very  similar,  and  each  does  its  part  in  practically  the  same  man- 
ner as  each  of  the  others,  the  principal  difference  being  in  the  manner  of 
feeding  and  delivery.  The  first  breaker  is  fed  by  a  mechanism  that  auto- 
matically weighs  and  delivers  to  the  feed  apron  the  amount  of  wool  requir- 
ed to  make  the  desired  size  of  yarn,  and  as  this  is  carried  into  the  c?^rd  by 
the  traveling  feed  apron,  another  portion  of  stock  is  weighed  and  deposited 
directly  behind  the  former,  so  that  a  continuous  feed  of  even  weight  is  de- 
livered to  the  feed  rolls.  The  card  consists  essentially  of  a  main  cylinder, 
usually  48  inches  in  diameter  and  of  the  same  width,  covered  with  leather 


Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary  343 


or  cloth,  thickly  studded  with  fine  wire  similar  to  the  teeth  of  a  comb,  which 

engage  the  stock  and  carry  it  forward.  At  Intervals  there  are  set  smaller 
rolls,  termed  workers,  also  covered  with  wire  clothing,  the  teeth  of  which 
also  engage  the  stock  and  tend  to  comb  it  out,  laying  the  fibres  nearly  par- 
allel. These  are,  in  turn,  cleared  of  the  stock  by  the 

Smaller  Strippers, 

which  return  it  to  the  cylinder,  which  carries  it  to  the  next  worker,  where  a 
similar  process  takes  place.  The  number  of  workers  varies  with  the  size 
of  the  card,  but  is  seldom  less  than  five.  Behind  the  last  worker  a  short 
space  intervenes,  and  the  stock  comes  in  contact  with  the  "fancy."  This 
does  no  carding,  but  is  designed  to  raise  the  stock  so  that  it  may  be  re- 
moved from  the  main  cylinder  by  the  doffer,  from  which  it  is  taken  in  a 
flat  web  by  the  comb  and  carried  away  in  rope  form  by  the  side  drawing 
apparatus. 

The  side  drawing  is  fed  to  the  second  breaker,  where  the  same  proc- 
esses of  carding  are  repeated,  and  the  stock  discharged  in  the  same  man- 
ner and  delivered  to  the  hnisher  card.  This  is  si  rilar  to  the  first  and  sec- 
ond breakers,  except  at  the  delivery  end,  where  instead  of  one  doffer  com- 
pletely covered  with  wire  there  are  two  smaller  doffers  which  have  alter- 
nately a  circle  of  wire  and  an  empty  space,  the  wire  of  the  upper  doffer  be- 
ing opposite  the  blank  space  of  the  lower.  From  these  the  stock  is  removed 
by  small  rolls  covered  with  corduroy,  and  the  ribbons  of  stock  delivered 

To  the  Condenser, 

where  they  receive  a  rubbing  between  aprons  which  have  a  sidewise  re- 
ciprocating motion  as  well  as  a  constant  forward  travel.  The  "roving,"  as 
it  is  now  called,  is  wound  on  spools  by  a  suitable  mechanism,  and  is  ready 
for  the  spinning  process,  which  is  invariably  performed  on  mules.  It  will 
be  readily  seen  that  the  partial  parallelization  of  the  stock  during  its  prog- 
ress through  the  cards  is  in  a  large  measure  overcome  by  the  effect  of  re- 
moving it  in  the  form  of  a  side  drawing,  a  motion  at  right  angles  to  its  di- 
rection of  travel  through  the  machine  itself.  On  the  other  hand,  the  man- 
ufacture of  worsted  yarn  is  carried  on  by  a  system  of  machinery  that  at  all 
times  retains  the  fibres  in  the  same  relative  position.  The  carding  is  per- 
formed on  a  double  cylinder  card,  and  the  web  removed  through  a  station- 
ary trumpet  in  the  direction  of  motion  through  the  card  and  wound  in  a 
ball.  These  balls  of  slubbing  are  placed  in  a  preparing  gill  box  which  fur- 
ther straightens  the  fibres  by  drawing  them  through  a  set  of  fallers,  pro- 
vided with  pins  which  have  a  combing  action  on  the  slubbing.  From  the 
gill  box  it  goes  to  the  machine,  which  rolls  four  ends  of  slubbing  in  a  ball 
ready  for  the  comb.  The  usual  type  of  combs  used  in  domestic  mills  is  the 

"Noble"  or  "Great  Circle"  Comb. 

The  essential  features  are  suitable  carriers  for  the  balls  of  slubbing  and  a 
feeding  motion  which  delivers  the  slubbing  to  the  circle.  The  great  circle 
is  set  with  pins,  as  are  also  two  smaller  circles,  set  diametrically  opposite 
each  other,  the  circumferences  of  which  are  nearly  in  contact  with  the  in- 
ner circumference  of  the  large  circle.  The  slubbing  is  forced  into  the  pins 
of  both  circles,  and  as  they  revolve  at  even  surface  speeds,  the  long  fibres 
of  wool  are  drawn  out  and  removed  by  a  set  of  aprons  in  a  continuous  rib- 
bon of  "top."  The  short  fibres,  burs  and  other  foreign  matter  are  raised  from 
the  pins  of  the  circles  and  fall  to  the  floor.  In  each  succeeding  process  the 
operation  is  one  of  reducing  the  size  of  the  sliver  by  drawing  it  in 
in  a  straight  line,  each  succeeding  machine  drawing  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  from  that  immediately  preceding,  thus  tending  to  make  a 
uniform  sliver.  By  means  of  successive  doublings  and  drawings  the  sliver 
is     reduced    to    a    suitable    size    of    roving    to    produce    a    yarn  of 


344  Woolen  and  worsted  fabrics  glossary 


the  desired  size.  In  the  Bradford  system  of  worsted  manufacture, 
here  described  so  briefly,  the  spinning  is  usually  done  on  cap  or  flier 
frames  or  occasionally  on  a  ring  fram.e,  seldom  or  never  on  mules,  while  the 
French  system  invariably  uses  mules  for  the  spinning  of  the  yarn.  From  the 
foregoing  It  will  be  seen  that  woolen  and  worsted  yarns  are  not,  as  many 
suppose,  spun  from  different  fibres,  but  are  both  made  from  wool  by  a 

Different  System  of  Manufacture. 

It  is  impossible  to  obtain  the  same  effect  on  the  finished  goods  from 
fabrics  woven  from  the  two  types  of  yarns.  The  woolen  system  is  adapted 
for  certain  fabrics  and  the  worsted  for  others,  there  being  no  real  compar- 
ison between  fabrics  manufactured  from  wool  and  worsted,  as  each  may 
be  the  best  of  its  type  and  yet  be  totally  unlike.  From  the  methods  used 
in  producing  the  yarns  it  will  be  readily  understood  that  for  fabrics  requir- 
ing definition  of  pattern,  clearness  and  distinctness  of  design  and  color, 
the  worsted  thread  offers  advantages  that  are  far  beyond  those  to  be  had 
from  the  wool  yarn,  while  for  the  production  of  goods,  the  face  and  colors 
of  which  are  to  be,  as  our  English  friends  say,  melded  together,  the  wool 
thread  is  unsurpassed,  and  the  effect  can  hardly  be  approximated  in  fabrics 
constructed  from  combed  yarns. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  use  of  woolen  yarns  for  the  production  of  fine 
textures  in  designs  that  require  sharp  outlines  with  clear-cut  color  figures, 
will  result  in  much  inferior  effects  than  are  possible  to  the  user  of  worsted 
in  such  constructions.  The  original  use  of  colors  in  woven  design  is  shroud- 
ed in  antiquity,  but  that  the  art  of  dyeing  was  well  known  to  the  ancients 
is  attested  by  their  many  references  to  colored  fabrics  used  as  clothing  and 
for  decorative  purposes.  In  the  early  history  of  the  Jewish  people  we  read 
that  the  favorite  son  of  Jacob  was  sold  into  bondage  by  his  brethren  as  a 
result  of  their  jealousy,  his  coat  of  many  colors  being  the  mark  of  the 
greater  regard  in  which  he  was  held  by  their  father.  In  more  recent  times 

The  Love  of  Color 

was  exemplified  by  the  figures  woven  into  the  blankets  and  basketry  of 
savage  races.  Each  tribe  had  its  emblem  woven  into  their  blankets  and  bas- 
kets or  molded  into  the  pottery  manufactured  by  the  most  primitive  of 
methods.  A  probable  survival  of  this  ancient  custom  is  the  distinctive  tar- 
tans dedicated  to  the  various  clans  of  Scotland.  To  one  familiar  with  the 
colors  and  their  arrangement  in  the  plaid  it  is  possible  not  only  to  name 
the  clan  but  oftentimes  the  particular  branch  to  which  the  wearer  owes  al- 
legiance. The  shepherd  plaid  seemed  not  to  be  the  insignia  of  a  family 
or  clan  but  to  be  dedicated  to  the  use  of  herdsmen  of  all  sections  of  the 
country.  It  is  the  simplest  of  all  in  both  color  and  pattern,  being  no  more 
than  an  even  check  of  black  and  white,  a  favorite  size  being  four  threads 
of  each  color  in  both  warp  and  filling.  For  men's  wear  purposes  the  size 
may  be  increased  to  double  that  number  of  threads,  while  in  fabrics  for 
women's  wear  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  the  size  increased 

To  Nearly  an  Inch 

of  each  shade.  The  manufacture  of  this  type  of  fabric  is  not  especially  dif- 
ficult except  in  one  particular.  It  must  not  be  undertaken  except  in  a  mill 
that  is  kept  scrupulously  clean,  as  a  spot  on  the  surface  of  the  white  will 
show  up  with  startling  distinctness.  The  best  effect  is  obtained  by  using  a 
bleached  white  with  a  black  that  has  a  distinctly  blue  tone.  Bleaching  may 
be  done  in  the  skein  either  with  peroxide  or  with  sodium  bisulphite  the  lat- 
ter method  being  preferred  by  many  as  requiring  no  special  apparatus  nor 
training  in  its  use.  The  dressing  and  weaving  are  done  in  the  ordinary  m  n- 
ner,  care  being  taken  that  every  piece  of  machinery  used  is  free  from  iron 
rust,  dirt  or  oil  where  it  may  come  in  contact  with  the  goods.  When  woven, 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY  346 

the  pieces  must  not  be  allowed  to  come  in  contact  with  the  floor,  but  he 
placed  on  scrays  provided  for  that  purpose.   As  one  old  Scotch  manager 


Worsted  Shepherd  Plaid. 

used  to  say,  "Ye'll  need  tae  pit  legs  under  them,"  and  his  meaning  was  not 
only  to  have  them  kept  from  the  floor  but  to  hasten  them  through  the  va- 
rious processes,  not  allowing  them  to  lie  about  in  any  department,  lest  they 
become  soiled. 

During  burling  and  sewing,  the  operatives  must  exercise  care  to  keep 
the  goods  from  the  floor,  and  before  placing  them  in  the  washer  see  that  it 
is  free  from  any  bits  of  dirty,  oily  flocks  which  may  have  fallen  from  goods 
previously  scoured.  The  scouring  may  be  done  with  any  standard  grade  of 
soap,  although  a  tallow  soap  should  not  be  used,  in  fact,  is  never  necessary 
for  scouring  worsteds,  and  is  not  tolerated  in  many  finishing  rooms.  When 
thoroughly  clean,  extract,  but  not  too  dry,  then  put  on  the  dryer  and  dry  at 
a  moderate  heat,  as  too  rapid  drying  has  a  tendency  to  give  the  fabric  an 
inferior  handle.  Brush,  shear  and  take  to  the  fine  sewers,  who  should  find 
very  little  work  on  goods  of  this  character.  After  an  inspection  to  see  that 
the  work  of  the  sewers  has  been  well  done,  the  goods  may  be  brushed,  spray- 
ed and  pressed,  and  are  then  ready  for  the  final  examination,  preliminary 
to  rolling  up  for  market. 


LAYOUT. 

4,032  ends;  15%  reed,   4  In  dent        65"  -\- 

Wi"  for  listing  =  66 over  all. 
68  picks. 

Dressing: 

2/50   bleached  white...  32  1  32 

2/50  black    16  16  [32 

64 
♦7 

448 
t9 


4.032 

♦Patterns.  tSectlons. 


CALCULATIONS. 


4,032  ends  2/50  =  4.608  oz.   4-  10% 

take-up   ==    5.12  oz. 

68X  66.5 

68  picks  2/50  =    ==    5.16  oz. 

50X560-i-16-f-2   

Loom  weight    10.28  oz. 

Finished  weight  9  oz. 

COST. 

10.28  oz.  -f  71/2%  waste  =  11.11  oz. 

@  96c.  per  lb  =  $  .6666 

Manufacturing,   68  picks  =  .4000 


Net  mill  cost    $1.0666 


8  harness,  straight  draw. 
Weave. 

§i  nummunmm 


346 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


MORGAN  &  CO. 

170  Summer  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 


Clinton  H.  Scovell  &  Company 


Certified  Public  Accountants  Industrial  Engineers 

44  Central  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Constructive  Accounting,  Audits,  Investigations,  Costs 
Industrial  Engineering 
Special  Experience  and  Important  Practical  Success  With  Textiles 


Our  Model  A  Double  Shear  saves 
its  extra  cost  over  a  single 
shear  in  one  year 


Cloth  Finishing 
Machinery 

Nap     Gig    Perch  Wind 
Double  Inspect 
Measure  Pumice 
Spotproof  Yardnumber 

Trademark  Shear 
Steam       Brush  Weigh 

Roll     Polish  Stretch 
Luster     Decatize  Sand 


PARKS   &   WOOLS  ON  M\CHINE  CO       SPRINGFIELD    VERMONT  USA 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


347 


INDEX 


All  Wool  Thibet  136 

Angles  of  Twills    36 

Astrachan  Cloaking   256 

Astrachan  Cloaking,  Cotton  Warp   258 

Bannockburns    53 

Beavers   239 

Bedford  Cord   237 

Bedford  Cord  for  Men's  Wear  302 

Blue  Meltons,  Government  Standard.  .312 

Boy's  Suiting  266 

Broadcloths   295 

Cap  Goods   113 

Carriage  Robes    68 

Cassimere,  Fancy   321 

Cass  mere,  Heavy-weight   96 

Cassimeres  244 

Cerise  Cloth  158 

Checked  Chinchilla   171 

Cheviot,  Fancy  Nub   167 

Chinchilla     134 

Chinch.La,  Checked   171 

Clay  Worsteds   208 

Cloaking,  Astrachan  256 

Cloak  ng,  Astrachan  Cotton  Warp  258 

Cloaking,  Automobile    70 

Cloaking,  Imitation  Chinchilla  187 

Cloaking,  Ladies'  Double-Face   74 

Cloaking,  Plaid  Back  246 

Corkscrews   209 

Cotton  Mixed  Cassimeres   283 

Cotton  Mixture  Thibets  121 

Cotton  Warp,  Astrachan  Cloaking  258 

Cotton  Warp  Shirt.ng  Flannel  165 

Cotton  Worsteds   211 

Covert  Cloth   317 

Coverts  and  Venetians   271 

Crepe  Cloth   153 

Cross  Dyed  Worsted  Suitings  162 

Double  and  Twist  Suitings   224 

Double  Cloth  Mackinaw   49 

Dress  Goods,   Brocaded   190 

Dress  Goods,  F.gured   154 

Dre;ss  Goods,  Novelty  Check   184 

Dress  Goods,  Noveity  Cheviot   338 

Dress  Goods  Suiting   262 

Duvetyn   Suitings   220 

Eponge   140 


Fancy  Back  Prunella  127 

Fancy  Cassimere   321 

Fancy  Nub  Cheviot  167 

Fancy     Twill     Knickerbocker  Dress 

Goods   315 

Fancy    Worsted    Suitings    for  Men's 

Wear   200 

Fancy  Worsted,  Unfinished   150 

Figured  Dress  Goods   154 

Fine  Fancy  Worsted  Suiting   325 

Fine  Plaid  Back  Ladies'  Cloaking  246 

Fine  QuaLty  (Men's  Wear)  Suiting. .  .260 
Frieze    66 

Gabardine  Dress  Goods  233 

Gun  Club  Checks   328 

Hair  Line  Dress  Goods    57 

Hair  Lines  for  Men's  Wear   267 

Hair  Line,  Wool  and  Worsted,  Three 

Color   180 

Heavy- weght  Automobile  Cloaking...  70 

Heavy-weight  Cassimere    96 

Heavy-weight  Whipcord   260 

Homespun    86 

Homespun  Fabrics   263 

Imitation  Astrachan    77 

Imitation  Chinchilla,  Novelty  Cloaking.  187 
Imitation  Furs   318 

Juvenile  Suiis  and  Trousers  83 

Kerseys   305 

Ladies'  Coating  Fabric    59 

Ladies'  Double-Face  Cloaking   74 

Ladies'  Double-Face  Goods  104 

Ladies'  Suitings   254 

Ladies'  Suitings.   94 

Mackinaw,  Double  Cloth   49 

Mack  naw  Fabrics   253 

Medium- weight  Boys'  Suiting  266 

Meltons  290 

Men's  Wear  Pencil  Stripes   116 

Mixture  Overcoatings    62 

Montagnac   145 

Needle  Cords   120 

Niggerheads   199 

Novelty   Check   Worsted   and  Cotton 
Dress  Goods   184 


348 


WOOLEN  AND  WORSTED  FABRICS  GLOSSARY 


Novelty  Cheviot   197 

Novelty  Cheviot  Dress  Goods  338 

Novelty  Cloakings  217 

Novelty     Cloaking,     Imitation  Chin- 
chilla  187 

Outing  Flannel   230 

Overcoating,  Plaid  Back  Llama  176 

26-Ounce    Cotton   and    Shoddy  Twist 

Overcoating   304 

26-Ounce  Twist  Overcoating  303 

Pencil  Stripe,  Unfinished   142 

Piece  Dyed  Brocaded  Dress  Goods...  190 

Plaid  Back  Homespun  Cloaking  251 

Plaid  Back  Llama  Overcoating  176 

Poplin,  Silk  Stripe   148 

Prunella,  Fancy  Black  127 

Ratings   205 

Ratine  Cloaking   310 

Rating  Serge   212 

Regatta  Stripe  Ladie;^'  Suiting  250 

Russian  Novelty  Blanket   47 

Russian  Twill  Dress  Goods    90 

Serges   226 

Shepherd  Plaids  and  Tartans  232 

Shirting  Flannel,  Cotton  Warp  165 

Silk  Str  pe  Poplin   148 

Scotch  Tweeds   332 

Tartans   232 

Textile  Cost  Finding    39 

Textile  Fibres    5 

Thibets,  All  Wool   .136 


Thibets,  Cotton  Mixture   121 

Tricots  213 

Tweeds    91 

Tweeds,  Scotch  332 

Uister  or  Overcoating  Cloth   88 

Unfinished  Fancy  Worsted   150 

Unfinished  Pencil  Stripe   142 

Uniform  Fabrics,  Cadet  Greys  247 

Velours   203 

Venetians   101 

Vigoureux  Printing   33 

Whipcords   195 

Whipcord,  iHeavy- weight   260 

Wool  and  Worsted  Three  Color  iHair 

Line   180 

Wool  Crash    79 

Woolen  Novelty  Dress  Goods  279 

Woolen  Suitings   109 

Wool  iMixing  and  Carding    15 

Wool  Plush   228 

Wool  Sorting  and  Scouring    10 

Wool  Spinning    22 

Worsted  Cheviot  Cloakings  194 

Worsted  Cheviot  Men's  Wear   196 

Worsted,  Cross  Dyed   162 

Worsted  Diagonal  Dress  Goods  193 

Worsted  Diagonals   131 

Worsted  Shepherd  Plaid  341 

Worsted  Suiting,  Fine  Fancy  325 

Worsted  Yarn  Manufacture   26 

Zibeline  Coatings   125 


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THEY  SELL  FOl 


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